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EPISTLE  TO  THE  ROMANS. 


BY 

y 

CHARLES.  HODGE, 

PROFESSOR   OF  BIBLICAL  LITERATURE  IN  THE  THEOLOGICAL.  SEMINART 
AT  PRINCETON. 


ABRIDGED  BY  THE  AUTHOR, 
FOR    THE    USE     OF    SUNDAY-SCHOOLS    AND    BIBLE-CLASSES. 

TENTH    EDITION. 


PUBLISHED  BY 
WILLIAM    S.    MARTIEN, 

Philadelphia,  37  South  Seventh  St.— New  York,  23  Centre  Street, 

1846. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1836,  by 
Charles  Hodge, 
the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  District  of  New  Jersey. 


INTRODUCTION. 


When  Paul  and  the  other  apostles  were  called  to  enter  upon  their 
important  duties,  the  world  was  in  a  deplorable  and  yet  most  interesting 
state.  Both  Heathenism  and  Judaism  were  in  the  last  stages  of  decay. 
The  polytheism  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans  had  been  carried  to  such  an 
extent  as  to  shock  the  common  sense  of  mankind,  and  to  lead  the  more 
intelligent  among  them  openly  to  reject  and  ridicule  it.  This  skepticism 
had  already  extended  itself  to  the  mass  of  the  people,  and  become  almost 
universal.  As  the  transition  from  infidelity  to  superstition  is  certain,  and 
generally  immediate,  all  classes  of  the  people  were  disposed  to  confide 
in  dreams,  enchantments,  and  other  miserable  substitutes  for  religion. 
The  two  reigning  systems  of  philosophy,  the  Stoic  and  Platonic,  were 
alike  insufficient  to  satisfy  the  agitated  minds  of  men.  The  former 
sternly  repressed  the  best  natural  feelings  of  the  soul,  inculcating  nothing 
but  a  blind  resignation  to  the  unalterable  course  of  things,  and  promising 
nothing  beyond  an  unconscious  existence  hereafter.  The  latter  regarded 
all  religions  as  but  different  forms  of  expressing  the  same  general  truths, 
and  represented  the  whole  mythological  system  as  an  allegory,  as  incom- 
prehensible to  the  common  people  as  the  pages  of  a  book  to  those  who 
cannot  read.  This  system  promised  more  than  it  could  accomplish.  It 
excited  feelings  which  it  could  not  satisfy,  and  thus  contributed  to  pro- 
duce that  general  ferment  which  existed  at  this  period.  Among  the 
Jews,  generally,  the  state  of  things  was  hardly  much  better.  They  had, 
indeed,  the  form  of  true  religion,  but  were  in  a  great  measure  destitute 
of  its  spirit.  The  Pharisees  were  contented  with  the  form  ;  the  Saddu- 
cees  were  skeptics  ;  the  Essenes  were  enthusiasts  and  mystics.  Such 
being  the  state  of  the  woild,  men  were  led  to  feel  the  need  of  some  surer 
guide  than  either  reason  or  tradition,  and  some  better  foundation  of  confi- 
dence than  either  heathen  philosophers  or  Jewish  sects  could  afford. 
Hence,  when  the  glorious  gospel  was  revealed,  thousands  of  hearts,  in  all 
parts  of  the  world,  were  prepared  by  the  grace  of  God  to  exclaim.  This  is 
all  our  desire  and  all  our  salvation. 

The  history  of  the  apostle  Paul  shows  that  he  was  prepared  to  act  in 
such  a  state  of  society.  In  the  first  place,  he  was  born  and  probably 
educated,  in  part,  at  Tarsus,  the  capital  of  Cilicia ;  a  city  almost  on  a  level 
with  Athens  and  Alexandria  for  its  literary  zeal  and  advantages.    In  one 

3 


4       *  INTRODUCTION. 

respect,  it  is  said  by  ancient  writers  to  have  been  superior  to  either  of 
them.  In  the  other  cities  mentioned,  the  majority  of  students  were 
strangers,  but  in  Tarsus  they  were  the  inhabitants  themselves.*  That 
Paul  passed  the  early  part  of  his  life  here  is  probable,  because  the  trade 
which  he  was  taught,  in  accordance  with  the  custom  of  the  Jews,  was 
one  peculiarly  common  in  Cilicia.  From  the  hair  of  the  goats,  with 
which  that  province  abounded,  a  rough  cloth  was  made,  which  was  much 
used  in  the  manufacture  of  tents.  The  knowledge  which  the  apostle 
manifests  of  the  Greek  authors,  1  Cor.  15 :  33.  Tit.  1  :  12,  would  also 
lead  us  to  suppose  that  he  had  received  at  least  part  of  his  education  in  a 
Grecian  city.  Many  of  his  characteristics,  as  a  writer,  lead  to  the  same 
conclusion.  He  pursues  far  more  than  any  other  of  the  sacred  writers  of 
purely  Jewish  education,  the  logical  method  of  presenting  truth.  There 
is  almost  always  a  regular  concatenation  in  his  discourses,  evincing  the 
spontaneous  exercise  of  a  disciplined  mind,  even  when  not  carrying  out  a 
previous  plan.  His  epistles,  therefore,  are  far  more  logical  than  ordinary 
letters,  without  the  formality  of  regular  dissertations.  Another  charac- 
teristic of  his  manner  is,  that  in  discussing  any  question,  he  always  pre- 
sents the  ultimate  principle  on  which  the  decision  depends.  These  and 
similar  characteristics  of  this  apostle  are  commonly,  and  probably  with 
justice,  ascribed  partly  to  his  turn  of  mind  and  partly  to  his  early  educa- 
tion. We  learn  from  the  Scriptures  themselves,  that  the  Holy  Spirit,  in 
employing  men  as  his  instruments  in  conveying  truth,  did  not  change 
their  mental  habits  ;  he  did  not  make  Jews  write  like  Greeks,  or  force  all 
into  the  same  mould.  Each  retained  his  own  peculiarities  of  style  and 
manner,  and,  therefore,  whatever  is  peculiar  in  each,  is  to  be  referred,  not 
to  his  inspiration,  but  to  his  original  character  and  culture.  While  the 
circumstances  just  referred  to  render  it  probable  that  the  apostle's  habits 
of  mind  were  in  some  measure  influenced  by  his  birth  and  early  educa- 
tion in  Tarsus,  there  are  others  (such  as  the  general  character  of  his 
style)  which  show  that  his  residence  there  could  not  have  been  long,  and 
that  his  education  was  not  thoroughly  Grecian.  We  learn  from  himself 
that  he  was  principally  educated  at  Jerusalem,  being  brought  up,  as  he 
says,  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel,  (Acts  22  :  3.)  This  is  the  second  circum- 
stance in  the  providential  preparation  of  the  apostle  for  his  work,  which 
is  worthy  of  notice.  As  Luther  was  educated  in  a  Catholic  seminary, 
and  thoroughly  instructed  in  the  scholastic  theology  of  which  he  was  to 
be  the  great  opposer,  so  the  apostle  Paul  was  initiated  into  all  the  doc- 
trines and  modes  of  reasoning  of  the  Jews,  with  whom  his  principal  con- 
troversy was  to  be  carried  on.  The  early  adversaries  of  the  gospel  were 
all  Jews.  Even  in  the  heathen  cities  they  were  so  numerous,  that  it 
was  through  them  and  their  proselytes  that  the  church  in  such  places  was 
founded.  We  find  therefore,  that  in  almost  all  his  epistles,  the  apostle 
contends  with  Jewish  errorists,  the  corrupters  of  the  gospel  by  means  of 
Jewish  doctrines.     Paul,  the  most  extensively  useful  of  all  the  apostles, 

Strabo,  lib.  14.  ch.  5. 


INTRODUCTION.  5 

was  thus  a  thoroughly  educated  man  ;  a  man  educated  with  a  special 
^view  to  the  work  which  he  was  called  to  perform.  We  find,  therefore, 
in  this,  as  in  most  similar  cases,  that  God  effects  his  purposes  by  those 
instruments  which  he  has,  in  the  ordinary  course  of  his  providence,  spe- 
cially fitted  for  their  accomplishment.  In  the  third  place,  Paul  was  con- 
verted without  the  intervention  of  human  instrumentality,  and  was  taught 
the  gospel  by  immediate  revelation.  "  I  certify  you,  brethren,"  he  says 
to  the  Galatians,  "  that  the  gospel  which  was  preached  of  me,  was  not 
after  man.  For  I  neither  received  it  of  man,  neither  was  I  taught  it,  but  by 
the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ."  These  circumstances  are  important,  as 
he  was  thus  placed  completely  on  a  level  with  the  other  apostles.  He 
had  seen  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  could,  therefore,  be  one  of  the  witnesses 
of  his  resurrection ;  he  was  able  to  claim  the  authority  of  an  original 
inspired  teacher  and  messenger  of  God.  It  is  obvious  that  he  laid  great 
stress  upon  this  point,  from  the  frequency  with  which  he  refers  to  it.  He 
was  thus  furnished  not  only  with  the  advantages  of  his  early  education, 
but  with  the  authority  and  power  of  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ. 

His  natural  character  was  ardent,  energetic,  uncompromising,  and 
severe.  How  his  extravagance  and  violence  were  subdued  by  the  grace 
of  God  is  abundantly  evident  from  the  moderation,  mildness,  tenderness, 
and  conciliation  manifested  in  all  his  epistles.  Absorbed  in  the  one 
object  of  glorifying  Christ,  he  was  ready  to  submit  to  any  thing,  and  to 
yield  any  thing  necessary  for  this  purpose.  He  no  longer  insisted  that 
others  should  think  and  act  just  as  he  did  ;  so  that  they  obeyed  Christ, 
he  was  satisfied,  and  he  willingly  conformed  to  their  prejudices  and  tole- 
rated their  errors,  so  far  as  the  cause  of  truth  and  righteousness  allowed. 
By  his  early  education,  by  his  miraculous  conversion  and  inspiration,  by 
his  natural  disposition,  and  by  the  abundant  grace  of  God  was  this  apos- 
tle fitted  for  his  work,  and  sustained  under  his  multiplied  and  arduous 
labours. 

ORIGIN   AND    CONDITION    OF    THE    CHURCH    AT   ROME. 

One  of  the  providential  circumstances  which  most  effectually  contri- 
buted to  the  early  propagation  of  Christianity,  was  the  dispersion  of  the 
Jews  among  surrounding  nations.  They  were  widely  scattered  through 
the  East,  Egypt,  Syria,  Asia  Minor,  Greece  and  Italy,  especially  at 
Rome.  As  they  were  permitted,  throughout  the  wide  extent  of  the 
Roman  empire,  to  worship  God  according  to  the  traditions  of  their 
fathers,  synagogues  were  every  where  established  in  the  midst  of  the 
heathen.  The  apostles,  being  Jews,  had  thus  every  where  a  ready  access 
to  the  people.  The  synagogues  furnished  a  convenient  place  for  regular 
assemblies,  without  attracting  the  attention  or  exciting  the  suspicion  of 
the  civil  authorities.  In  these  assemblies  they  were  sure  of  meeting  not 
only  Jews,  but  the  heathen  also,  and  precisely  the  class  of  heathen  best 
prepared  for  the  reception  of  the  gospel.     The  infinite  superiority  of  the 

a2 


6  INTRODUCTION. 

pure  theism  of  the  Old  Testament  scriptures  to  any  form  of  religion 
known  to  the  ancients,  could  not  fail  to  attract  and  convince  multitudes 
among  the  pagans,  wherever  the  Jewish  worship  was  established.  Such 
persons  became  either  proselytes  or  "  devout,"  that  is,  worshippers  of 
the  true  God.  Being  free  from  the  inveterate  national  and  religious  pre- 
judices of  the  Jews,  and  at  the  same  time  convinced  of  the  falsehood  of 
polytheism,  they  were  the  most  susceptible  of  all  the  early  hearers  of  the 
gospel.  It  was  by  converts  from  among  this  class  of  persons,  that  the 
churches  in  all  the  heathen  cities  were  in  a  great  measure  founded. 
There  is  abundant  evidence  that  the  Jews  were  very  numerous  at  Rome, 
and  that  the  class  of  proselytes  or  devout  persons  among  the  Romans 
was  also  very  large.  Philo  says  (Legatio  in  Caium,  p.  1041,  ed. 
Frankf.)  that  Augustus  had  assigned  the  Jews  a  large  district  beyond  the 
Tiber  for  their  residence.  He  accounts  for  their  being  so  numerous  from 
the  fact  that  the  captives  carried  thither  by  Pompey  were  liberated  by 
their  masters,  who  found  it  inconvenient  to  have  servants  who  adhered 
so  strictly  to  a  religion  which  forbade  constant  and  familiar  intercourse 
-with  the  heathen.  Dion  Cassius  (lib.  60,  c.  6)  mentions  that  the  Jews 
were  so  numerous  at  Rome  that  Claudius  was  at  first  afraid  to  banish 
them,  but  contented  himself  with  forbidding  their  assembling  together. 
That  he  afterwards,  on  account  of  the  tumults  which  they  occasioned, 
did  banish  them  from  the  city,  is  mentioned  by  Suetonius  (Vita  Claudii, 
c.  25),  and  by  Luke,  Acts  18 :  2.  That  the  Jews  on  the  death  of  Clau- 
dius returned  to  Rome,  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  Suetonius  and  Dion 
Cassius  speak  of  their  being  very  numerous  under  the  follovsing  reigns  ; 
and  also  from  the  contents  of  this  epistle,  especially  the  salutations  in 
eh.  16,  addressed  to  Jewish  Christians. 

That  the  establishment  of  the  Jewish  worship  at  Rome  had  produced 
considerable  effect  on  the  Romans,  is  clear  from  the  statements  of  the 
heathen  writers  themselves.  Ovid  speaks  of  the  synagogues  as  places 
of  fashionable  resort ;  Juvenal  (Satire  14)  ridicules  his  countr3'men  for 
becoming  Jews  ;  and  Tacitus  (Hist.  lib.  5,  ch.  5)  refers  to  the  presents 
sent  by  Roman  proselytes  to  Jerusalem.  The  way  was  thus  prepared  for 
the  early  reception  and  rapid  extension  of  Christianity  in  the  imperial 
city.  When  the  gospel  was  first  introduced  there,  or  by  whom  the 
introduction  was  effected,  is  unknown.  Such  was  the  constant  inter- 
course between  Rome  and  the  provinces,  that  it  is  not  surprising  that 
some  of  the  numerous  converts  to  Christianity  made  in  Judea,  Asia  Mi- 
nor, and  Greece,  should  at  an  early  period  find  their  way  to  the  capital. 
It  is  not  impossible  that  many,  who  had  enjoyed  the  personal  ministry  of 
Christ,  and  believed  in  his  doctrines,  might  have  removed  or  returned  to 
Rome,  and  been  the  first  to  teach  the  gospel  in  that  city.  Still  less  im- 
probable is  it,  that  among  the  multitudes  present  at  Jerusalem  at  the  day 
of  Pentecost,  among  whom  were  "  strangers  of  Rome,  Jews  and  prose- 
lytes," there  were  some  who  carried  back  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel. 
'That  the  introduction  of  Christianity  occurred  at  an  e^irly  period  may  bo 


INTRODUCTION.  7 

inferred  not  only  from  the  probabilities  just  referred  to,  but  from  other 
circumstances.  When  Paul  wrote  this  epistle,  the  faith  of  the  Romans 
was  spoken  of  throughout  the  world,  which  would  seem  to  imply  that 
the  church  had  already  been  long  established.  Aquila  and  Priscilla, 
who  left  Rome  on  account  of  the  decree  of  Claudius  banishing  the  Jews, 
were  probably  Christians  before  their  departure ;  nothing  at  least  is  said 
of  their  having  been  converted  by  the  apostle.  He  found  them  at  Corinth, 
and  being  of  the  same  trade,  he  abode  with  them,  and  on  his  departure 
took  them  with  him  into  Syria. 

The  tradition  of  some  of  the  ancient  fathers  that  Peter  was  the 
founder  of  the  church  at  Rome  is  inconsistent  with  the  statements  given 
in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  Irenaeus  (Haeres.  III.  1.)  says,  that 
"  Matthew  wrote  his  gospel,  while  Peter  and  Paul  were  in  Rome  preach- 
ing the  gospel  and  founding  the  church  there."  And  Eusebius  (Chron. 
ad  ann.  2  Claudii)  says,  "Peter  having  founded  the  church  at  Antioch, 
departed  for  Rome,  preaching  the  gospel."  Both  these  statements  are 
incorrect.  Peter  did  not  found  the  church  at  Antioch,  nor  did  he  and 
Paul  preach  together  at  Rome.  That  Peter  was  not  at  Rome  prior  to 
Paul's  visit  appears  from  the  entire  silence  of  this  epistle  on  the  subject; 
and  from  no  mention  being  made  of  the  fact  in  any  of  the  letters  written 
from  Rome  by  Paul  during  his  imprisonment.  The  tradition  that  Peter 
ever  was  at  Rome  rests  on  very  uncertain  authority.  It  is  first  mentioned 
by  Dionysius  of  Corinth  in  the  latter  half  of  the  second  century,  and 
from  that  time  it  seems  to  have  been  generally  received.  The  account  is 
in  itself  improbable,  as  Peter's  field  of  labour  was  in  the  east,  about 
Babylon;  and  as  the  statement  of  Dionysius  is  full  of  inaccuracies.  He 
makes  Peter  and  Paul  the  founders  of  the  church  at  Corinth,  and  makes 
the  same  assertion  regarding  the  church  at  Rome,  neither  of  which  is 
true.  He  also  says  that  Paul  and  Peter  suffered  martyrdom  at  the  same 
time  at  Rome,  which,  from  the  silence  of  Paul  respecting  Peter  during 
his  last  imprisonment,  is  in  the  highest  degree  improbable.  History, 
therefore,  has  left  us  ignorant  of  the  time  when  this  church  was  founded, 
and  the  persons  by  whom  the  work  was  effected. 

The  condition  of  the  congregation  may  be  inferred  from  the  circum- 
stances already  mentioned,  and  from  the  drift  of  the  apostle's  letter.  As 
the  Jews  and  proselytes  were  very  numerous  at  Rome,  the  early  converts 
as  might  be  expected,  were  from  both  these  classes.  The  latter,  how 
ever,  seem  greatly  to  have  predominated,  because  we  find  no  such  evi 
dence  of  a  tendency  to  Judaism  as  is  supposed  in  the  epistle  to  the  Gala- 
tians.  Paul  nowhere  seems  to  apprehend  that  the  church  at  Rome  would 
apostatize  as  the  Galatian  Christians  had  already  done.  And  in  chapters 
14  and  15,  his  exhortations  imply  that  the  Gentile  party  were  more  in 
danger  of  oppressing  the  Jewish,  than  the  reverse.  Paul,  therefore,  writes 
to  them  as  Gentiles  (ch.  1 :  13),  and  claims,  in  virtue  of  his  office  as 
apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  the  right  to  address  them  with  all  freedom  and 
authority  (15:  16).      The  C^^ng^egation,  LC'Wever,  was   not  composed 


8  INTRODUCTION. 

exclusively  of  this  class  ;  many  converts,  originally  Jews,  were  included 
in  their  numbers,  and  those  belonging  to  the  other  class  were  more  or  less 
under  the  influence  of  Jewish  opinions.  The  apostle,  therefore,  in  this, 
as  in  all  his  other  epistles  addressed  to  congregations  similarly  situated, 
refutes  those  doctrines  of  the  Jews  which  were  inconsistent  with  the  gos- 
pel, and  answers  those  objections,  which  they  and  those  under  their 
influence  were  accustomed  to  urge  against  it.  These  diflferent  elements 
of  the  early  churches  were  almost  always  in  conflict,  both  as  to  points  of 
doctrine  and  discipline.  The  Jews  insisted,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent, 
on  their  peculiar  privileges  and  customs,  and  the  Gentiles  disregarded, 
and  at  times  despised  the  scruples  and  prejudices  of  their  weaker  brethren. 
The  opinions  of  the  Jews  particularly  controverted  in  this  epistle  are, 
1.  That  connexion  with  Abraham  by  natural  descent  and  by  the  bond  of 
circumcision,  together  with  the  observance  of  the  law,  is  sufficient  to 
secure  the  favour  of  God.  2.  That  the  blessings  of  the  Messiah's  reign 
were  to  be  confined  to  Jews  and  those  who  would  consent  to  become  pro- 
selytes. 3.  That  subjection  to  heathen  magistrates  was  inconsistent  with 
the  dignity  of  the  people  of  God,  and  with  their  duty  to  the  Messiah  as 
king.  There  are  clear  indications  in  other  parts  of  Scripture,  as  well  as 
in  their  own  writings,  that  the  Jews  placed  their  chief  dependence  upon 
the  covenant  of  God  with  Abraham,  and  the  peculiar  rites  and  ordinances 
connected  with  it.  Our  Saviour,  when  speaking  to  the  Jews,  tells  them, 
*'Say  not,  we  have  Abraham  to  our  father;  for  I  say  unto  you,  that  God 
is  able  of  these  stones  to  raise  up  children  unto  Abraham."  Luke  3  :  8. 
It  is  clearly  implied  in  this  passage,  that  the  Jews  supposed,  that  to  have 
Abraham  as  their  father  was  sufficient  to  secure  the  favour  of  God.  The 
Rabbins  taught  that  God  had  promised  Abraham  that  his  descendants, 
though  wicked,  should  be  saved  on  account  of  his  merit.  Justin  Martyr 
mentions  this  as  the  ground  of  confidence  of  the  Jews  in  his  day.  "  Your 
Rabbins,"  he  says,  "  deceive  themselves  and  us  in  supposing  that  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  prepared  for  all  those  who  are  the  natural  seed  of 
Abraham,  even  though  they  be  sinners  and  unbelievers."  (^Dialogue  with 
Trypho.)  They  were  accustomed  to  say,  "  Great  is  the  virtue  of  circum- 
cision ;  no  circumcised  person  enters  hell."  And  one  of  their  standing 
maxims  was,  "  All  Israel  hath  part  in  eternal  life." 

The  second  leading  error  of  the  Jews  was  a  natural  result  of  the  one 
just  referred  to.  If  salvation  was  secured  by  connexion  with  Abraham, 
then  none  who  were  not  united  to  their  great  ancestor  could  be  saved. 
There  is  no  opinion  of  the  Jews  more  conspicuous  in  the  sacred  writings, 
than  that  they  were  greatly  superior  to  the  Gentiles,  that  the  theocracy 
and  all  its  blessings  belonged  to  them,  and  that  others  could  attain  even 
an  inferior  station  in  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah  only  by  becoming 
Jews. 

The  indisposition  of  the  Jews  to  submit  to  heathen  magistrates 
arose  partly  from  their  high  ideas  of  their  own  dignity  and  their  con- 
tempt for  other  nations,  partly  from  their  erroneous  opinions  of  the  nature 


INTRODUCTION.  9 

of  the  Messiah's  kingdom,  and  partly,  no  doubt,  from  the  peculiar  hard- 
ships and  oppressions  to  which  they  were  exposed.  The  prevalence  of 
this  indisposition  among  them  is  proved  by  its  being  a  matter  of  discus- 
sion whether  it  was  even  lawful  to  pay  tribute  to  Caesar ;  by  their  asser- 
tion that,  as  Abraham's  seed,  they  were  never  in  bondage  to  any  man ; 
and  by  their  constant  tumults  and  rebellions,  which  led  first  to  their  ba- 
nishment from  Rome,  and,  finally,  to  the  utter  destruction  of  their  city. 
The  circumstances  of  the  church  at  Rome,  composed  of  both  Jewish  and 
Gentile  converts  ;  surrounded  by  Jews  who  still  insisted  on  the  necessity 
of  circumcision,  of  legal  obedience,  and  of  connexion  with  the  family  of 
Abraham  in  order  to  salvation,  and  disposed  on  many  points  to  differ 
among  themselves  ;  sufficiently  account  for  the  character  of  this  epistle. 

TIME    AND    PLACE    OF    ITS    COMPOSITION. 

There  are  no  sufficient  data  for  fixing  accurately  and  certainly  the 
chronology  of  the  life  and  writings  of  the  apostle  Paul.  It  is  therefore, 
in  most  cases,  only  by  a  comparison  of  various  circumstances  that  an 
approximation  to  the  date  of  the  principal  events  of  his  life  can  be  made. 
With  regard  to  this  epistle,  it  is  plain,  from  its  contents,  that  it  was 
written  just  as  Paul  was  about  to  set  out  on  his  last  journey  to  Jerusa- 
lem. In  the  fifteenth  chapter  he  says  that  the  Christians  of  Macedonia 
and  Achaia  had  made  a  collection  for  the  poor  saints  in  Jerusalem,  and 
that  he  was  on  the  eve  of  his  departure  for  that  city  (v.  25).  This  same 
journey  is  mentioned  in  Acts  20,  and  occurred  most  probably  in  the 
spring  (see  Acts  20  :  16)  of  the  year  53  or  59.  This  date  best  suits  the 
account  of  his  long  imprisonment,  first  at  Cesarea  and  then  at  Rome,  of 
four  years,  and  his  probable  liberation  in  62  or  63.  His  subsequent  la- 
bours and  second  imprisonment  would  fill  up  the  intervening  period  of 
two  or  three  years  to  the  date  of  his  martyrdom,  towards  the  close  of  the 
reign  of  Nero.  That  this  epistle  was  written  from  Corinth  appears  from 
the  special  recommendation  of  Phebe,  a  deaconess  of  the  neighbouring 
church,  who  was  probably  the  bearer  of  the  letter  (ch.  16  :  1);  from  the 
salutations  of  Erastus  and  Gains,  both  residents  of  Corinth,  to  the  Ro- 
mans (ch.  16 :  23)  ;  compare  2  Tim.  4:  20,  and  1  Cor.  1  :  14;  and  from 
the  account  given  in  Acts  20 :  2,  3,  of  Paul's  journey  through  Macedoni 
into  Greece,  before  his  departure  for  Jerusalem,  for  the  purpose  of  carry 
ing  the  contributions  of  the  churches  for  the  poor  in  that  city. 

AUTHENTICITY    OF   THE    EPISTLE. 

That  this  epistle  was  written  by  the  apostle  Paul,  admits  of  no  rea- 
sonable doubt.  1.  It  in  the  first  place  purports  to  be  his.  It  bears  his 
signature,  and  speaks  throughout  in  his  name.  2.  It  has  uniformly 
been  recognised  as  his.  From  the  apostolic  age  to  the  present  time 
it  has  been  referred  to  and  quoted  by  a  regular  series  of  authors,  and 


10  INTRODUCTION. 

recognised  as  of  divine  authority  in  all  the  churches.  It  would  be  re- 
quisite, in  order  to  disprove  its  authenticity,  to  account  satisfactorily 
for  these  facts,  on  the  supposition  of  the  epistle  being  spurious.  The 
passages  in  the  early  writers,  in  which  this  epistle  is  alluded  to  or  cited, 
are  very  numerous,  and  may  be  seen  in  Lardner's  Credibiliti/,  Vol.  II. 
3.  The  internal  evidence  is  no  less  decisive  in  its  favour,  (a)  In  the 
first  place,  it  is  evidently  the  production  of  a  Jew,  familiar  with  the  He- 
brew text  and  the  Septuagint  version  of  the  Old  Testament,  because  the 
language  and  style  are  such  as  no  one,  not  thus  circum.stanced,  could 
adopt ;  and  because  the  whole  letter  evinces  such  an  intimate  acquaint- 
ance with  Jewish  opinions  and  prejudices,  (b)  It  agrees  perfectly  in 
style  and  manner  with  the  other  epistles  of  this  apostle,  (c)  It  is,  in  the 
truth  and  importance  of  its  doctrines,  and  in  the  elevation  and  purity  of 
its  sentiments,  immeasurably  superior  to  any  uninspired  production  of 
the  age  in  which  it  appeared.  A  comparison  of  the  genuine  apostolic 
writings  with  the  spurious  productions  of  the  first  and  second  centuries, 
affords  one  of  the  strongest  collateral  evidences  of  the  authenticity  and 
inspiration  of  the  former.  (cZ)  The  incidental  or  undesigned  coinci- 
dences, as  to  matters  of  fact,  between  this  epistle  and  other  parts  of  the 
New  Testament,  are  such  as  to  afford  the  clearest  evidence  of  its  having 
proceeded  from  the  pen  of  the  apostle.  Compare  Rom.  15  :  25 — 31  with 
Acts  20 :  2,  3.  24 :  17.  1  Cor.  16  :  1—4.  2  Cor.  8  :  1—4.  9  :  2.  Rom. 
16  :  21—23  with  Acts  20  :  4.  Rom.  16  :  3,  et  seqq.  with  Acts  18  :  2,  18 
— 26.  1  Cor.  16  :  19,  &c.  (see  Paley's  Horse  Paulinse.)  4.  Besides 
these  positive  proofs,  there  is  the  important  negative  consideration,  that 
there  are  no  grounds  for  questioning  its  authenticity.  There  are  no  dis- 
crepancies between  this  and  other  sacred  writings  ;  no  counter  testimony 
among  the  early  fathers  ;  no  historical  or  critical  difficulties  which  must 
be  solved  before  it  can  be  recognised  as  the  work  of  Paul.  There  is, 
therefore,  no  book  in  the  Bible,  and  there  is  no  ancient  book  in  the  world, 
of  which  the  authenticity  is  more  certain  than  that  of  this  epistle. 

ANALYSIS    OF    THE    EPISTLE. 

The  epistle  consists  of  three  parts.  The  first,  which  includes  the  first 
eight  chapters,  is  occupied  in  the  discussion  of  the  doctrine  of  justifica- 
tion and  its  consequences.  The  second,  embracing  chapters  9,  10,  11, 
treats  of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  the  rejection  and  future  conversion 
of  the  Jews.  The  third  consists  of  practical  exhortations  and  salutations 
to  the  Christians  at  Rome. 

The  first  part  t'.e  apostle  commences  by  saluting  the  Roman  Chris- 
tians, commending  them  for  their  faith,  and  expressing  his  desire  to  see 
them,  and  his  readiness  to  preach  the  gospel  at  Rome.  This  readiness 
was  founded  on  the  conviction  that  the  gospel  revealed  the  only  method 
by  which  men  can  be  saved,  viz.  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  this  me- 


INTRODUCTION.  11 

thod  is  equally  applicable  to  all  mankind,  Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews,  ch. 
1  :  1 — 17.     Paul  thus  introduces  the  two  leading  topics  of  the  epistle. 

In  order  to  establish  his  doctrine  respecting  justification,  he  first  proves 
that  the  Gentiles  cannot  be  justified  by  their  own  works,  ch.  1  :  18 — 39  ; 
and  then  establishes  the  same  position  in  reference  to  the  Jews,  ch.  2. 
3  :  1 — 20.  Having  thus  shown  that  the  method  of  justification  by  works 
was  unavailable  for  sinners,  he  unfolds  that  method  which  is  taught  in 
the  gospel,  ch.  3  :  21 — 31.  The  truth  and  excellence  of  this  method  he 
confirms  in  chs.  4th  and  5th.  The  obvious  objection  to  the  doctrine  of 
gratuitous  acceptance,  that  it  must  lead  to  the  indulgence  of  sin,  is  an- 
swered, and  the  true  design  and  operation  of  the  law  are  exhibited  in 
chs.  6th  and  7th;  and  the  complete  security  of  all  who  confide  in  Christ 
is  beautifully  unfolded  in  ch.  8. 

In  arguing  against  the  Gentiles,  Paul  assumes  the  principle  that  God 
will  punish  sin,  ch.  1  :  18,  and  then  proves  that  they  are  justly  chargeable 
both  with  impiety  and  immorality,  because,  though  they  possessed  a 
competent  knowledge  of  God,  they  did  not  worship  him,  but  turned  unto 
idols,  and  gave  themselves  up  to  all  kinds  of  iniquity,  ch.  1 :  19 — 32. 

He  commences  his  argument  with  the  Jews  by  expanding  the  general 
principle  of  the  divine  justice,  and  especially  insisting  on  God's  impar- 
tiality by  showing  that  he  will  judge  all  men,  Jews  and  Gentiles,  ac- 
cording to  their  works,  and  according  to  the  light  they  severally  enjoyed, 
ch.  2  :  1 — 16.  He  shows  that  the  Jews,  when  tried  by  these  rules,  are 
as  justly  and  certainly  exposed  to  condemnation  as  the  Gentiles,  ch.  2: 
17—29. 

The  peculiar  privileges  of  the  Jews  afford  no  ground  of  hope  that  they 
will  escape  being  judged  on  the  same  principles  with  other  men,  and 
when  thus  judged  they  are  found  to  be  guilty  before  God.  All  men, 
therefore,  are,  as  the  Scriptures  abundantly  teach,  under  condemnation, 
and,  consequently,  cannot  be  justified  by  their  own  works,  ch.  3  :  1 — 20. 

The  gospel  proposes  the  only  method  by  which  God  will  justify  men ; 
a  method  which  is  entirely  gratuitous;  the  condition  of  which  is  faith; 
which  is  founded  on  the  redemption  of  Christ;  which  reconciles  the 
justice  and  mercy  of  God,  humbles  man,  lays  the  foundation  for  a  uni- 
versal religion,  and  establishes  the  law,  ch.  3  :  21 — 31. 

The  truth  of  this  doctrine  is  evinced  from  the  example  of  Abraham, 
the  testimony  of  David,  the  nature  of  the  covenant  made  with  Abraham 
and  his  seed,  and  from  the  nature  of  the  law.  He  proposes  the  con- 
duct of  Abraham  as  an  example  and  encouragement  to  Christians,  ch. 
4 :  1—25. 

Justification  by  faith  in  Christ  secures  peace  with  God,  present  joy, 
and  the  assurance  of  eternal  life,  ch.  5  :  1 — 11.  The  method,  therefore, 
by  which  God  proposes  to  save  sinners,  is  analogous  to  that  by  which 
they  were  first  brought  under  condemnation.  As  on  account  of  the  offence 
of  one,  sentence  has  passed  on  all  men  to  condemnation;  so  on  accoun 
of  the  righteousness  of  one,  all  are  justified,  ch.  5 :  12 — 21. 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

The  doctrine  of  the  gratuitous  justification  of  sinners  cannot  lead  to 
the  indulgence  of  sin,  because  such  is  the  nature  of  union  with  Christ, 
and  such  the  object  for  which  he  died,  that  all  who  receive  the  benefits 
of  his  death  experience  the  sanctifying  influence  of  his  life,  ch.  6 :  1 — 11. 
Besides,  the  objection  in  question  is  founded  on  a  misapprehension  of  the 
effect  and  design  of  the  law,  and  of  the  nature  of  sanctification.  Deli- 
verance from  the  bondage  of  the  law  and  from  a  legal  spirit  is  essential  to 
holiness.  When  the  Christian  is  delivered  from  this  bondage,  he 
becomes  the  servant  of  God,  and  is  brought  under  an  influence  which 
effectually  secures  his  obedience,  ch.  6:  12 — 23. 

As,  therefore,  a  woman,  in  order  to  be  married  to  a  second  husband, 
must  first  be  freed  from  her  former  one,  so  the  Christian,  in  order  to  be 
united  to  Christ  and  to  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God,  must  first  be  freed 
from  the  law,  ch.  7  :  1 — 6. 

This  necessity  of  deliverance  from  the  law,  does  not  arise  from  the  fact 
that  the  law  is  evil,  but  from  the  nature  of  the  case.  The  law  is  but  the 
authoritative  declaration  of  duty;  which  cannot  alter  the  state  of  the 
sinner's  heart.  Its  real  operation  is  to  produce  the  conviction  of  sin 
(vs.  7 — 13),  and,  in  the  renewed  mind,  to  excite  approbation  and  compla- 
cency in  the  excellence  which  it  exhibits,  but  it  cannot  effectually  secure 
the  destruction  of  sin.  This  can  only  be  done  by  the  grace  of  Gou  in 
Jesus  Christ,  ch.  7  :  7 — 25. 

Those  who  are  in  Christ,  therefore,  are  perfectly  safe.  They  are  freed 
from  the  law  ;  they  have  the  indwelling  of  the  life-giving  Spirit ;  they 
are  the  children  of  God  ;  they  are  chosen,  called,  and  justified  according 
to  the  divine  purpose ;  and  they  are  the  objects  of  the  unchanging  love 
of  God,  ch.  8;  1—39. 

The  second  part  of  the  epistle  relates  to  the  persons  to  whom  the 
blessings  of  Christ's  kingdom  may  properly  be  offered,  and  the  purposes 
of  God  respecting  the  Jews.  In  entering  upon  this  subject,  the  apostle, 
after  assuring  his  kindred  of  his  affection,  establishes  the  position  that 
God  has  not  bound  himself  to  regard  as  his  children  all  the  natural 
descendants  of  Abraham,  but  is  at  perfect  liberty  to  choose  whom  he 
will  to  be  heirs  of  his  kingdom.  The  right  of  God  to  have  mercy  on 
whom  he  will  have  mercy,  he  proves  from  the  declarations  of  Scripture 
and  from  the  dispensations  of  his  providence.  He  shows  that  this  doc- 
trine of  the  divine  sovereignty  is  not  inconsistent  with  the  divine  cha- 
racter or  man's  responsibility,  because  God  simply  chooses  from  among 
the  undeserving  whom  he  will  as  the  objects  of  his  mercy,  and  leaves 
others  to  the  just  recompense  of  their  sins,  ch.  9  :  1 — 24. 

God  accordingly  predicted  of  old  that  he  would  call  the  Gentiles  and 
reject  the  Jews.  The  rejection  of  the  Jews  was  on  account  of  their 
unbelief,  ch.  9:  25—33.  10:  1 — 5.  The  two  methods  of  justification 
are  then  contrasted,  for  the  purpose  of  showing  that  the  legal  method  is 
impracticable,  but  that  the  method  proposed  in  the  gospel  is  simple  and 


INTRODUCTION.  13 

easy,  and  adapted  to  all  men.  It  should,  therefore,  agreeably  to  the 
revealed  purpose  of  God,  be  preached  to  all  men,  ch.  10  :  6 — 21. 

The  rejection  of  the  Jews  is  not  total ;  many  of  that  generation  were 
brought  into  the  church,  who  were  of  the  election  of  grace,  ch.  11 ;  1 — 10. 
Neither  is  this  rejection  final.  There  is  to  be  a  future  and  general  con- 
version of  the  Jews  to  Christ,  and  thus  all  Israel  shall  be  saved,  ch.  11 : 
11—36. 

The  third  or  practical  part  of  the  epistle,  consists  of  directions,  first, 
as  to  the  general  duties  of  Christians  in  their  various  relations  to  God, 
ch.  12  ;  secondly,  as  to  their  political  or  civil  duties,  ch.  13  ;  and,  thirdly, 
as  to  their  ecclesiastical  duties,  or  those  duties  which  they  owe  to  each 
other  as  members  of  the  church,  ch.  14.  15  :  1 — 13. 

The  epistle  concludes  with  some  account  of  Paul's  labours  and  pur- 
poses, ch.  15  :  14 — 33,  and  with  the  usual  salutations,  ch.  16. 


COMMENTARY  ON  THE  ROMANS. 


CHAPTER  I. 


CONTENTS. 


This  chapter  consists  of  two  parts.  The  first  extends  to  the  close  of 
V.  17,  and  contains  the  general  introduction  to  the  epistle.  The  second 
commences  with  v.  18,  and  extends  to  the  close  of  the  chapter:  it  con- 
tains the  argument  of  the  apostle  to  prove  that  the  declaration  contained 
in  vs.  IG,  17,  that  justification  can  only  be  obtained  by  faith,  is  true  with 
regard  to  the  heathen. 

CHAP.  1 :   1—17. 

*  Paul,  a  servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  called  to  he  an  apostle,  separated 
unto  the  gospel  of  God,  2( which  he  had  promised  afore  by  his  prophets 
in  the  holy  scriptures,)  ^concerning  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord, 
which  was  made  of  the  seed  of  David  according  to  the  flesh,  *and 
declared  to  he  the  Son  of  God  with  power,  according  to  the  spirit  of  holi- 
ness, by  the  resurrection  from  the  dead :  ^by  whom  we  have  received 
grace  and  apostleship,  for  obedience  to  the  faith  among  all  nations,  for 
his  name  :  ^among  whom  are  ye  also  the  called  of  Jesus  Christ:  ''to  all 
that  be  in  Rome,  beloved  of  God,  called  to  he  saints  :  Grace  to  you  and 
peace  from  God  our  Father,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  ^First,  I  thank 
my  God  through  Jesus  Christ  for  you  all,  that  your  faith  is  spoken  of 
throughout  the  whole  world.  ^For  God  is  my  witness,  whom  I  serve 
with  my  spirit  in  the  gospel  of  his  Son,  that  without  ceasing  I  make 
mention  of  you  always  in  my  prayers ;  ^"making  request,  if  by  any 
means  now  at  length  I  might  have  a  prosperous  journey  by  the  will  of 
God  to  come  unto  you.  ^*For  I  long  to  see  you,  that  I  may  impart 
unto  you  some  spiritual  gift,  to  the  end  ye  may  be  established  ;  ^^that  is, 
that  I  may  be  comforted  together  with  you  by  the  mutual  faith  both  of 
you  and  me.  *^NowI  would  not  have  you  ignorant,  brethren,  that  often- 
times I  purposed  to  come  unto  you,  (but  was  let  hitherto,)  that  I  might 
have  some  fruit  among  you  also,  even  as  among  other  Gentiles.  **I  am 
debtor  both  to  the  Greeks,  and  to  the  Barbarians ;  both  to  the  wise,  and 
to  the  unwise.  *^So,  as  much  as  in  me  is,  I  am  ready  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel to  you  that  are  at  Rome  also.     *^For  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gosper 

15 


10  ROMANS  I:  1—17. 

of  Christ ;  for  it  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that 
believeth  ;  to  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Greek.  *7For  therein  is  the 
righteousness  of  God  revealed  from  faith  to  faith :  as  it  is  written,  The 
just  shall  live  by  faith. 

ANALYSIS. 

This  section  consists  of  two  parts.  The  first,  from  v.  1  to  7  inclusive 
is  a  salutatory  address  ;  the  second,  from  v.  8  to  17,  is  the  introduction  to 
the  epistle.  Paul  commences  by  announcing  himself  as  a  divinely  com- 
missioned teacher,  set  apart  to  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  v.  1.  Of  this 
gospel,  he  says,  1.  That  it  was  promised,  and  of  course  partially  exhi- 
bited in  the  Old  Testament,  v.  2.  2.  That  its  great  subject  was  Jesus 
Christ,  V.  3.  Of  Christ  he  says,  that  he  was,  as  to  his  human  nature,  the 
Son  of  David;  but  as  to  his  divine  nature,  the  Son  of  God,  vs.  3,  4. 
From  this  divine  person  he  had  received  his  office  as  an  apostle.  The 
object  of  this  office  was  to  bring  men  to  believe  the  gospel ;  and  it  contem- 
plated all  nations  as  the  field  of  its  labour,  v.  5.  Of  course  the  Romans 
were  included,  v.  6.  To  the  Romar  Christians,  therefore,  he  wishes 
grace  and  peace,  v.  7.     Thus  far  the  salutation. 

Having  shown  in  what  character,  and  by  what  right  he  addressed 
them,  the  apostle  introduces  the  subject  of  his  letter  by  expressing  to 
them  his  respect  and  affection.  He  thanks  God  not  only  that  they 
believed,  but  that  their  faith  was  universally  known  and  talked  of,  v.  9 
As  an  evidence  of  his  concern  for  them,  he  mentions,  1.  That  he 
prayed  for  them  constantly,  v.  9.  2.  That  he  longed  to  see  them,  vs. 
10,  11.  3.  That  this  wish  to  see  them  arose  from  a  desire  to  do  them 
good,  and  to  reap  some  fruit  of  his  ministry  among  them,  as  well  as 
among  other  Gentiles,  vs.  12,  13.  Because  he  was  under  obligation  to 
preach  to  all  men,  wise  and  unwise,  he  was  therefore  ready  to  preach 
even  at  Rome,  vs.  14,  15.  This  readiness  to  preach  arose  from  the  high 
estimate  he  entertained  of  the  gospel.  And  his  reverence  for  the  gospel 
was  founded  not  on  its  excellent  system  of  morals  merely,  but  on  its  effi- 
cacy in  saving  all  who  believe,  whether  Jews  or  Gentiles,  v.  16.  This 
efficacy  of  the  gospel  arises  from  its  teaching  the  true  method  of  justifica- 
tion, that  is,  the  method  of  justification  by  faith,  v.  17.  It  will  be  per- 
ceived how  naturally  and  skilfully  the  apostle  introduces  the  two  great 
subjects  of  the  epistle — the  method  of  salvation,  and  the  persons  to  whom 
it  may  properly  be  offered. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1)  Paul,  a  servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  called  to  be  an  apostle,  separated  unto 
the  gospel  of  God.  The  apostle's  original  name  was  Saul,  the  demanded, 
or  asked  for.  It  was  common  among  the  Jews  and  other  oriental  nations 
to  change  the  names  of  individuals  on  the  occurrence  of  any  remarkable 
event  in  their  lives,  as  in  the  case  of  Abraham  and  Jacob,  Gen.  17 :  5 


ROMANS  1 :  1—17.  17  ^ 

32  :  28.  This  was  especially  the  case  when  the  individual  was  advanced 
to  some  new  office  or  dignity,  Gen.  41 :  45.  Dan.  1 :  6,  7.  Hence  a 
new  name  is  sometimes  equivalent  to  a  new  dignity,  Apoc.  2 :  17.  As 
Paul  seems  to  have  received  this  name  shortly  after  he  entered  on  his 
duties  as  an  apostle,  it  is  often  supposed,  and  not  improbably,  that  it  was 
on  account  of  this  call  that  his  name  was  changed.  Thus  Simon,  when 
chosen  to  be  an  apostle,  was  called  Cephas  or  Peter,  John  1 :  42.  Matt. 
10:2.  Since,  however,  it  was  very  common  for  those  Jews  who  associ- 
ated much  with  foreigners  to  have  two  names,  one  Jewish  and  the  other 
Greek  or  Roman;  sometimes  entirely  distinct,  as  Hillel  and  Pollio; 
sometimes  nearly  related,  as  Silas  and  Silvanus,  it  is  perhaps  more  proba- 
ble that  the  apostle  was  called  Saul  among  the  Jews,  and  Paul  among 
the  heathen.  As  he  was  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  and  all  his  epistles, 
except  that  to  the  Hebrews,  were  addressed  to  churches  founded  among 
the  heathen,  it  is  not  wonderful  that  he  constantly  called  himself  Paul 
instead  of  Saul.  He  styles  himself  a  servant  of  Jesus  Christ.  This  term 
is  often  used  to  express  the  relation  in  which,  under  the  New  Testament, 
the  apostles  stood  to  Christ,  as  in  Gal.  1 :  10.  Phil.  1  :  1,  &c.,  as  in  the 
Old  Testament  the  phrase  servant  of  God  expresses  the  relation  in  which 
any  one  employed  in  his  special  service  stood  to  God,  Josh.  24 :  29. 
Num.  12  :  7.  Judges  2  :  8,  &c.  &c.  It  is  therefore  a  general  official 
designation. 

Called  an  apostle.  The  word  rendered  called^  means  also  chosen,  ap- 
pointed, see  vs.  6  and  7  of  this  chapter.  1  Cor.  1  :  1.  and  24.  Rom.  8  :  28. 
compare  Isaiah  48 :  12.  "  Hearken  unto  me,  O  Jacob  and  Israel  my 
called,"  i.  e.  my  chosen.  51:  2.  42  :  6.  In  the  epistles  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment this  word  is  rarely  if  ever  used  in  reference  to  one  externally  called 
or  invited  to  any  office  or  blessing,  but  uniformly  expresses  the  idea  of 
an  effectual  calling,  or  of  a  selection  and  appointment.  Paul  begins 
several  of  his  epistles  by  claiming  to  be  thus  divinely  commissioned  as 
an  apostle,  because  his  appointment  was  different  from  that  of  the  other 
apostles,  and  its  validity  had  frequently  been  called  in  question. 

The  term  apostle  or  messenger,  with  few  exceptions,  is  applied  exclu- 
sively to  those  thirteen  individuals  appointed  by  Jesus  Christ  to  deliver 
to  men  the  message  of  salvation ;  to  authenticate  that  message  by  signs 
and  wonders,  Heb.  2 :  4,  and  especially  by  their  testimony  as  eye-wit- 
nesses of  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  Acts  1  :  22.  2  :  32.  3  :  15.  1  Cor 
15:  15;  and  to  organize  the  Christian  church  by  the  appointment  of 
officers  and  the  general  ordering  of  its  affairs.  It  was  therefore  neces- 
sary that  an  apostle  should  have  seen  Christ  after  he  rose  from  the  dead, 
iCor.  9:  1. 

Separated  unto  the  gospel  of  God.  The  word  rendered  separated  ex- 
presses the  idea  both  of  selection  and  appointment.  Lev.  20  :  24,  26.  Acta 
13  :  2.  Gal.  1  :  15.  Paul  was  chosen  and  set  apart  to  preach  the  gospei 
of  God ;  that  is,  the  gospel  of  which  God  is  the  author. 

(2)  Which  he  had  promised  afore  by  his  prophets  in  the  holy  scriptures 

b2 


18  ROMANS  1  :  1—17. 

It  was  peculiarly  pertinent  to  the  apostle's  object  to  state,  that  the  gospel 
which  he  taught  was  not  a  new  doctrine,  much  less  in  consistent  with 
writings  which  his  readers  knew  to  be  of  divine  authority.  This  idea 
he  therefore  frequently  repeats  in  reference  to  the  method  of  salvation, 
ch.  3  :  21.  10  :  11,  &c. ;  the  rejection  of  the  Jews,  oh.  9  :  27,  33.  10  :  20, 
21 ;  and  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  ch.  9  :  25.  10  :  19,  &c.  see  Luke  24 : 
44.    John  12:  16.  Acts  10:  43. 

(3,  4)  Concerning  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  &c.  This  verse  is  to 
be  connected  with  the  last  clause  of  the  first,  and  states  the  grand  subject 
of  that  gospel  which  Paul  was  appointed  to  preach.  That  subject  which 
includes  all  others,  is  the  Son  of  God.  Having  mentioned  the  name, 
Paul  immediately  declares  the  nature  of  this  exalted  personage.  The 
passage  which  follows  is  therefore  peculiarly  interesting,  as  giving  a 
clear  exhibition  of  the  apostle's  view  of  the  character  of  Christ,  and  the 
import  of  the  phrase  Son  of  God. 

There  are  three  leading  interpretations  of  this  passage.  According  to 
the  first,  the  meaning  is,  '  Jesus  Christ  was,  as  to  his  human  nature,  the 
Son  of  David;  but  he  was  clearly  demonstrated  to  be,  as  to  his  divine 
nature,  the  Son  of  God,  by  the  resurrection  from  the  dead.'  According 
to  the  second,  the  passage  means,  '  Christ  was,  in  his  state  of  humiliation, 
the  Son  of  David,  but  was  constituted  the  Son  of  God  in  his  state  of  exal- 
tation, by  the  resurrection  from  the  dead  ;  or,  after  his  resurrection.'  Ac- 
cording to  the  third,  '  Christ  was  the  Son  of  David,  as  to  his  human 
iiacure,  but  M'as  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  agreeably  to  the  scripiuresj 
by  the  resurrection  from  the  dead.' 

The  first  of  these  interpretations  is  recommended  by  the  following  con- 
siderations. 1.  The  sense  which  it  assigns  to  the  several  clauses  may 
be  justified  by  usage,  and  is  required  by  the  context.  This  will  appear 
from  the  examination  of  each,  as  they  occur.  Which  was  made  of  the 
seed  of  David  accordiiig  to  the  flesh.  Was  made,  i.  e.  was  born,  see  the 
same  sense  of  the  word  here  used.  Gal.  4  :  4.  John  8  :  41.  1  Pet.  3  :  6. 
The  phrase  according  to  the  flesh  means  as  to  his  human  nature,  as  far  as 
he  was  a  man.  The  word  flesh  is  often  used  for  men  as  in  the  expression 
*•'  all  flesh,"  and  very  frequently  for  human  nature  considered  as  corrupt, 
as  in  the  expressions  "to  be  in  the  flesh," — "to  live  after  the  flesh," 
&c.  But  when  used  in  reference  to  Christ  the  accessory  ideasy  of  weak- 
ness and  corruption  are  of  course  excluded,  as  in  the  phrases  "  became 
flesh,"  John  1:  14;  "was  manifested  in  the  flesh,"  1  Tim.  3 :  16; 
*'  has  come  in  the  flesh,"  1  John  4:2.  In  all  these  cases  it  stands  for 
human  nature,  as  such,  not  merely  for  the  body  or  visible  part  of  man, 
nor  for  his  external  circumstances  and  condition,  but  for  all  that  Christ 
had  in  common  with  other  men.  That  such  is  its  meaning  in  this  pas- 
sage is  also  obvious  from  the  connexion.  In  what  sense  is  Christ  of  the 
family  of  David  but  as  he  was  a  man  1  Compare  the  analogous  passage, 
Rom.  9:  5. 

Jnd  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with  power.    That  the  word  rendered 


ROMANS  1  :  1—17.  19 

declared  has,  in  this  case,  that  meaning-,  maybe  argued,  1.  From  its  ety- 
mology. It  comes  from  a  word  signifying  a  limit  or  botmdari/,  and  lite- 
rally means  to  set  limits  to,  to  define,  and  such,  in  usage,  is  its  frequent 
signification.  To  define  is  nearly  related  both  to  appointing,  and  to  nam- 
ing, declaring,  exhibiting  a  person  or  thing  in  its  true  nature.  In  the  New 
Testament,  indeed  the  word,  as  in  common  Greek,  is  used  generally  to 
express  the  former  idea,  viz.  that  of  constituting,  or  appointing ;  but  the 
sense  which  our  version  gives  it  is  in  many  cases  involved  in  the  other, 
Acts  10:  42.  17:31.  2.  The  Greek  commentators,  Chrysostom  and 
Theodoret,  both   so   explain  the  word.      So  does  the   Syriac  version. 

3.  This  explanation  supposes  the  word  to  be  used  in  a  popular  and  gene- 
ral sense,  but  does  not  assign  to  it  a  new  meaning.  3.  Reference  may 
be  made  to  that  familiar  biblical  usage,  according  to  which  words  are 
used  declaratively.  Thus,  to  make  guilty,  is  to  pronounce  to  be  guilty ; 
to  make  just,  is  to  pronounce  to  be  just ;  to  make  unclean,  is  to  declare  to 
be  unclean.  Hence,  admitting  that  the  words  literally  mean,  '  made  the 
Son  of  God  by  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,'  they  may,  with  the  strict- 
est regard  to  usage,  be  interpreted,  exhibited  as  made,  declared  to  be. 

4.  The  necessity  of  the  place  requires  this  interpretation;  because  it  is  not 
true  that  Christ  was  made  the  Son  of  God  by  his  resurrection,  since  he 
was  such  before  that  event.  5.  The  passage,  unless  thus  explained,  is 
inconsistent  with  other  declarations  of  the  sacred  writers.  Acts  1 :  22, 
&c.,  which  speak  of  Christ's  resurrection  as  the  evidence  of  what  he 
was,  but  not  as  making  him  either  Son  or  King. 

The  words  with  power  may  either  be  connected  adjectively  with  the 
preceding  phrase,  and  the  meaning  be  '  the  powerful  Son  of  God  ;'  or, 
which  is  preferable,  adverbially  with  the  word  declared,  '  he  was  power- 
fully, i.  e.  clearly  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God.'  As  when  the  sun 
shines  out  in  his  power,  he  is  seen  and  felt  in  all  his  glory,  so  Christ, 
when  he  arose  from  the  dead,  was  recognised  at  once  as  the  Son  of  God. 

According  to  the  spirit  of  holiness  ;  that  is,  as  to  his  divine  nature.  That 
this  is  the  correct  interpretation  of  this  phrase  appears,  1.  Because  the 
term  spirit  is  obviously  applicable  to  the  nature  of  God,  and  the  word 
holiriess,  which  here  qualifies  it  adjectively,  expresses  every  thing  in  God 
which  is  the  foundation  of  reverence.  It  therefore  exalts  the  idea 
expressed  by  spirit.  'According  to  that  spiritual  essence  in  Christ, 
which  is  worthy  of  the  highest  reverence.'  2.  The  divine  nature  in 
Christ  is  elsewhere  called  Spirit,  Heb.  9  :  14,  "  If  the  blood  of  bulls  and 
of  goats  sanctifieth  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh  ;  how  much  more  shall 
the  blood  of  Christ,  who,  with  an  eternal  Spirit,  offered  himself  without 
spot  unto  God."  That  is,  '  if  the  blood  of  animals  was  of  any  avail, 
how  much  more  efficacious  must  be  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  who  was  pos- 
sessed of  a  divine  nature.'  In  our  version  this  passage  is  rendered 
through,  instead  of  with  an  eternal  Spirit;  but  this  does  not  so  well  suit 
the  context,  nor  give  so  good  a  sense.  In  1  Tim.  3  :  16,  "  God  w^as  ma- 
nifest in  the  flesh ;  justified  in  the  SpMt,"  the  meaning  probably  is,  the 


20  ROMANS  1:  1—17. 

fact  that  God  was  incarnate  was  proved,  and  his  claims  vindicated  by  the 
divine  nature,  which  exhibited  its  power  and  glory  in  so  many  ways,  in 
the  words  and  works  of  Christ.  In  1  Pet.  3:18,  Christ  is  said  to  have 
been  put  to  death  as  to  thejlesk,  but  to  have  remained  alive  as  to  the  Spirit^ 
by  which  Spirit  he  preached  to  the  spirits  in  prison.  If  this  preaching 
refers  to  the  times  before  the  flood,  then  does  ^irit  here  also  mean  the 
divine  nature  of  Christ.  3.  The  antithesis  obviously  demands  this  inter- 
pretation— as  to  ihejlesh,  Christ  was  the  Son  of  David,  as  to  ike  Spirit^ 
the  Son  of  God  :  if  the  flesh  means  his  human,  the  Spirit  must  mean  his 
divine  nature.  4.  It  is  confirmed  by  a  comparison  with  ch.  9  :  5 ;  there 
Khe  two  natures  of  Christ  are  also  brought  into  view  and  contrasted  ;  as 
to  the  flesh  he  was  an  Israelite,  but  as  to  his  higher  nature  he  is  God  over 
all  and  blessed  for  ever.  So  the  latter  clause  of  that  passage  answers  to 
the  latter  clause  of  this ;  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  is  equivalent  to  being  God 
over  all. 

£y  the  resurrection  from  the  dead.  That  is,  the  resurrection  of  Christ  was 
the  great  decisive  evidence  that  he  was  the  Son  of  God  ;  it  was  the  pub- 
lic acknowledgment  by  God  of  the  validity  of  all  the  claims  which  Christ 
had  made.  Hence  the  apostles  were  appointed  as  witnesses  of  that  fact, 
Acts  1  :  22.  see  on  v.  1.  This,  of  course,  does  not  at  all  imply  that  the 
resurrection  of  Christ  in  itself  was  any  proof  that  he  was  the  Son  of  God, 
any  further  than  it  was  a  proof  that  he  was  all  that  he  had  claimed  to  be, 
and  as,  in  its  attending  circumstances,  it  was  a  display  of  his  divine 
power.  He  had  power  to  lay  down  his  life,  and  he  had  power  to  take  it 
again.  This  clause  is  sometimes  rendered  "  after  the  resurrection  from 
the  dead."  The  preposition  used  in  the  Greek  admits  of  either  render- 
ing ;  but  the  former  is  better  suited  to  the  context,  and  more  in  accordance 
with  the  manner  in  which  Paul  speaks  elsewhere  of  the  resurrection. 
See  the  passages  cited  above. 

The  expression  '  Son  of  God'  is  used  in  scripture  almost  exclusively 
in  reference  to  Jesus  Christ.  Adam,  indeed,  is  so  called  in  the  genea- 
logical table  given  in  Luke  ch.  3.  to  express  the  idea  of  his  immediate 
creation  by  God.  But  the  expression  is  applied  to  Christ  in  a  sense  in 
which  it  is  applicable  to  no  other  being.  It  appears  from  this  and  other 
passages  that  it  implies  that  Christ  is  of  the  same  nature  with  God,  par- 
taker of  the  same  essence  and  attributes.  Thus  in  John  5  :  17,  Christ 
calls  God  his  father  in  such  a  sense  as  thereby  to  claim  equality  with 
God.     Compare  John  1  :  14.*  10 :  30—39.   Heb.  1 :  4—7. 

(5)  By  whom  we  have  received  grace  and  apostleship,  &c.  Having  in 
the  preceding  verses  set  forth  the  character  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  at  once 
the  Son  of  David  and  the  Son  of  God,  Paul  says  it  was  from  him,  and 
not  from  any  inferior  source,  that  he  received  his  authority.  This  point 
he  often  insists  upon.  Gal.  1  :  1.  1  Cor.  1 :  1,  &c.  The  word  grace 
means  favour,  kindness,  and  is  often  metonymically  used  for  any  gift 
proceeding  from  kindness,  especially  unmerited  kindness.  Hence  all  the 
gifts  of  the  Spirit  are  graces,  unmerited  favours.    The  greatest  of  God's 


ROMANS  1  :  1—17.  21 

gifts,  nfter  that  of  his  Son,  is  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  this, 
therefore,  in  the  Bible,  and  in  common  life,  is  called,  by  way  of  eminence, 
grace.  The  word  may  be  so  understood  here,  and  include  all  those  influ- 
ences of  the  Holy  Spirit  by  which  Paul  was  furnished  for  his  work. 
The  two  words  grace  and  apostJeship  may  however  be  taken  together, 
and  mean  '  the  grace  or  favour  of  being  an  apostle ;'  but  the  former 
explanation  is  to  be  preferred. 

For  obedience  to  the  faith  among  all  nations,  for.  his  name.  Literally 
unto  obedience  of  the  faith.  This  expresses  the  design  or  object  for 
which  the  office  of  apostle  was  conferred  upon  Paul.  It  was  that  all 
nations  might  be  made  obedient.  Similar  modes  of  expression  are  frequent; 
"  Baptism  unto  repentance,"  i.  e.  that  men  might  repent ;  "  unto  salva- 
tion," that  they  might  be  saved,  &c.  It  is  doubtful  whether  the  word 
faith  is  to  be  understood  here  as  in  Gal.  1  :  23,  "  He  preacheth  the  faith 
which  he  once  destroyed ;"  and  frequently  elsewhere,  for  the  object  of 
faith  ;  or  whether  it  is  to  be  taken  in  its  ordinary  sense  for  the  exercise 
of  belief.  Either  interpretation  gives  a  good  sense ;  according  to  the 
former,  the  meaning  is,  '  that  all  nations  should  -be  obedient  to  the  gos- 
pel ;'  according  to  the  latter,  '  that  they  should  yield  that  obedience 
which  consists  in  faith.'  The  former  is  the  most  common  explanation, 
see  Acts  6  :  7.  Among  all  nations  is  most  naturally  connected  with  the 
immediately  preceding  clause, '  that  obedience  might  be  promoted  among 
all  nations.'  They  may,  however,  be  referred  to  the  former  clause,  '  we 
have  received  the  apostleship  among  all  nations.'  The  words  for  his 
name  are  still  more  doubtful  as  to  their  connexion.  Some  join  them  with 
the  middle  clause,  'for  obedience  of  faith  in  his  name,'  see  Acts  2G :  18. 
But  this  the  words  will  hardly  bear.  Others  connect  them  with  the  first 
clause,  '  apostleship  in  his  name,'  2  Cor.  5  :  20.  Others  again,  and  more 
naturally,  to  the  whole  preceding  clause.  '  Paul  was  an  apostle  that  all 
nations  might  be  obedient  to  the  honour  of  Jesus  Christ;'  that  is,  so  that 
his  name  may  be  known. 

(6)  Among  whom  are  ye  also  the  called  of  Jesus  Christ.  If  the  gospel 
contemplated  all  nations  as  the  field  of  its  operation,  the  Romans  of  course 
were  not  to  be  excluded.  They,  i.  e.  the  persons  addressed,  were  of  the 
number  of  those  who  had  become  obedient  to  the  faith.  The  called  of 
Jesus  Christ  means  those  who  are  effectually  called,  not  invited  merely, 
but  made  actually  partakers  of  the  blessings  to  which  they  are  called. 
The  word  called  is  often,  therefore,  as  in  the  first  verse,  equivalent  with 
chosen,  see  the  passages  cited  on  that  verse.  In  1  Cor.  1  :  24,  Christ  is 
said  to  be  a  stumbling-block  to  one  class  of  men,  and  foolishness  to  an- 
other ;  "  but  to  those  that  are  called,  the  power  of  God,"  &c.  Rev.  17 : 
14,  "  those  who  are  with  him  are  called,  and  chosen,  and  faithful,"  see, 
too,  the  frequent  use  of  different  forms  of  the  verb  signifying  to  call,  Rom. 
8  :  30  ;  "  them  he  also  called,"  Jude  1 ;  "to  the  called,"  1  Pet.  5  :  10. 
8  :  9.  Such  a  call  is  in  fact  a  choice ;  it  is  a  taking  one  from  among 
«any.     Hence,  to  be  called,  is  to  be  chosen,  as  just  remarked.     Called 


22  ROMANS  1 :  1—17. 

(f  Jesus  Christ  does  not  mean  called  hy  Jesus  Christ ;  but  the  genitive  ex- 
presses the  idea  of  possession,  '  the  called  ones  who  belong  to  Christ,' 
*  Christ's  called,  or  chosen  ones.' 

(7)  To  all  that  be  in  Borne,  beloved  of  God,  called  to  be  saints.  As  this 
verse  contains  the  salutation,  it  is,  in  sense,  immediately  connected  with 
the  first.  '  Paul  an  apostle  to  all  that  be  at  Rome.'  All  that  intervenes 
is  not  properly  a  parenthesis,  but  an  accumulation  of  clauses,  one  grow- 
ing out  of  the  other,  and  preventing  the  apostle  finishing  the  sentence 
with  which  he  commenced.  This  is  very  characteristic  of  Paul's  man- 
ner, and  is  peculiarly  obvious  in  his  two  epistles  to  the  Ephesians 
and  Colossians.  His  teeming  mind  protruded  its  rich  thoughts  and 
glowing  sentiments  so  rapidly,  that  his  course  was  often  impeded,  and 
the  original  object  for  a  time  entirely  lost  sight  of.  See  Ephesians  3:1, 
where  the  sentence,  with  which  the  first  verse  begins,  is  interrupted,  and 
is  not  resumed  until  v.  14,  or  perhaps,  the  beginning  of  the  next  chapter. 

The  salutation  of  Paul  is  addressed  to  all  the  Christians  who  were  at 
Rome,  whom  he  calls  beloved  of  God,  and  called  to  be  saints.  The  people 
of  God  are  often,  both  "in  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  distinguished  by 
the  honourable  appellation,  beloved  of  God,  Deut.  33  :  12.  Col.  3:  12. 
Called  to  be  saints,  means  chosen  or  made  saints  ,•  as  in  v.  I,  called  to  be  an 
apostle,  means  chosen  or  appointed  an  apostle,  see  1  Cor.  1  :  2.  The  fact 
that  they  were  saints,  was  to  be  attributed  to  the  gracious  choice  or  call 
of  God.  The  word  translated  saints  properly  means  separated,  and  is 
applied  in  a  multitude  of  cases  in  the  Old  Testament,  both  to  persons  and 
things  consecrated  to  God.  In  this  sense  all  the  Hebrews  were  a  holy 
people.  But  in  the  New  Testament  when  used  in  reference  to  persons, 
it  expresses  their  moral  relation  to  God,  in  the  great  majority  of  cases. 
This  is  its  meaning  here.  The  Roman  Christians  were  called  to  be  not 
merely  a  people  consecrated  externally  to  God,  as  were  the  Jews,  but  to 
be  morally  holy,  see  the  remarks  on  ch.  11  :  16.  Grace  to  you,  and  peace 
from  God  our  Father,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  the  common 
form  of  salutation.  Grace  is  the  divine  favour ;  and  peace  is  the  con- 
sequence of  it,  and  includes,  as  does  the  corresponding  Hebrew  word,  all 
blessings.  Compare  the  phrases  "  way  of  peace,"  "  God  of  peace," 
*'  gospel  of  peace,"  and  the  like.  Hence  it  is  used  constantly  in  saluta- 
tions, "  Peace  be  with  you,"  i.  e.  may  all  good  rest  upon  you.  The 
Greek  term  has  this  extent  of  meaning  from  being  used  with  the  same 
latitude  as  the  Hebrew  word,  which  signifies,  as  an  adjective,  complete 
(^integer),  and  as  a  substantive,  completeness  {integritas'),  well-being ;  and, 
therefore,  includes  all  that  is  necessary  to  make  one  what  he  would  wish 
to  be.  When  the  favour  of  God  is  secured,  all  other  blessings  follow  in 
its  train. 

These  blessings  are  sought  from  God  the  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  Christ  is  equally  with  the  Father  the  source  of  these  blessings, 
and  therefore  the  object  of  prayer ;  which,  under  such  circumstances, 
and  for  such  blessings,  is  one  of  the  highest  acts  of  worship.     God  is 


ROMANS  1:  1—17.  23 

called  our  Father,  as  he  from  whom  all  good  ultimately  comes ;  and 
Jesus  Christ  is  called  Lord,  as  our  Ruler,  under  whose  care  and  protec- 
tion we  are  placed,  and  through  whose  ministration  all  good  is  actually 
bestowed. 

(8)  First,  I  thank  my  God  through  Jesus  Christ  for  you  all,  &c.  From 
this  verse  to  the  end  of  the  17th  we  have  the  general  introduction  to  the 
epistle.  It  is  distinguished  by  the  usual  characteristics  of  the  introduc- 
tory portions  of  the  apostle's  letters ;  as  it  is  commendatory,  concilia- 
tory, and  appropriate.  Before  introducing  any  other  topic,  the  apostle 
expresses  his  gratitude  to  God  on  their  account.  My  God  is  the  endear- 
ing form  of  expression  which  he  uses,  in  the  consciousness  of  his  recon- 
ciliation. "  I  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and  they  shall  be  to  me  a  people," 
Jer.  30 :  22,  contains  all  the  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  My 
God  through  Jesus  Christ,  as  these  words  are  often  explained,  thus  ex- 
pressing the  idea  that  God  iS  our  God,  or  is  reconciled  to  us  through 
Jesus  Christ.  The  latter  clause  may,  however,  be  connected  with  the 
words  /  give  thanks.  This  is  the  more  natural  construction,  and  is 
recommended  by  a  comparison  with  such  passages  as  Eph.  5 :  20, 
"  Giving  thanks  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  Heb.  13 :  15. 
John  14:  13.  These  passages  show  that  we  must  recognise  the  media- 
tion of  Christ  in  our  offerings  to  God. 

Thai  your  faith  is  spoken  of  throughout  the  world.  This  is  the  ground 
of  the  apostle's  thanksgiving ;  and  of  course  assumes  that  faith  is  the 
gift  of  God,  something  for  which  w^e  ought  to  be  thankful.  The  cause 
of  the  faith  of  the  Romans  being  so  generally  spoken  of,  may  have  been 
either  that  it  was  remarkably  strong  and  decided,  or  that  it  was  con- 
sidered of  special  importance  that  at  Rome,  the  capital  of  the  world,  the 
gospel  had  been  embraced. 

(9)  For  God  is  my  witness,  whom  I  serve  with  my  spirit,  in  the  gospel 
of  his  Son,  &c.  That  Paul  was  really  thankful  for  the  conversion  of  the 
Romans,  he  confirms  by  the  fact  that  he  was  constantly  mindful  of  them 
in  his  prayers;  and  that  he  did  thus  remember  them,  he  calls  God  to 
witness.  This  appeal  to  God  as  a  witness  of  the  truth  of  our  declara- 
tions approaches  very  nearly  to  the  nature  of  an  oath,  wanting  only  the 
imprecation  of  divine  displeasure  in  the  case  of  falsehood.  It  is,  with 
Paul,  not  unfrequent,  2  Cor.  1  :  23.  Gal.  1 :  20.  Phil.  1 :  8,  &c.  &c. 
The  word  rendered  I  serve,  means,  properly,  I  worship,  or  perform  religious 
service,  and  is  always  elsewhere  used  in  this  sense  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament. This  meaning  may  be  here  retained,  "whom  I  worship  in  my 
spirit,"  i.  e.  not  merely  externally,  but  cordially ;  and  the  clause  in  the 
gospel  of  his  Son  may  mean  either  agreeably  to  the  gospel,  or  in  preach- 
ing the  gospel.  If  the  latter,  the  idea  may  be  that  preaching  the  gospel 
is  itself  a  religious  service;  or  that  his  devotion  to  this  duty  was  evi- 
dence that  he  was  a  sincere  worshipper.  The  former  interpretation  is 
the  simpler  of  the  two — according  to  the  gospel. 

(10)  Making  request  if  by  any  means  now  at  length  I  might  have  a 


24  ROMANS  1  :  2-^17. 

prosperous  journey,  hy  the  will  of  God,  to  come  unto  you.  Not  merely 
the  fact  that  he  prayed,  but  the  subject  of  his  prayers,  evinced  his  inte- 
rest in  the  Roman  Christians.  If  hy  any  means  now  at  length  expresses 
the  strength  of  the  apostle's  desire  to  see  them,  and  implies  that  it  had 
been,  as  he  afterwards  assures  them  was  the  case,  long  cherished.  1 
may  have  a  prosperous  journey  ;  this  is  all  expressed  by  one  word  in  the 
Greek,  which  means  /  rnay  be  prospered,  see  1  Cor.  16  :  2.  3  John  v.  2. 
The  idea  therefore  is,  "  that  God  would  order  things  favourably  to  his 
visiting  them."  J3y  the  will  of  God,  not  merely  by  the  divine  favour, 
but  under  the  divine  guidance. 

(11)  For  I  long  to  see  you  that  I  may  impart  unto  you  some  spiritual  gift, 
&c.  The  desire  of  the  apostle  to  visit  Rome  arose  from  no  idle  curiosity, 
nor  from  a  mere  desire  of  intercourse  with  his  fellow  Christians,  but  from 
a  wish  to  be  useful.  Spiritual  gifts  are  gifts  of  which  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
the  author,  and  include  not  only  those  miraculous  endowments,  of  which 
such  frequent  mention  is  made  in  the  epistle  to  the  Corinthians  and 
elsewhere,  but  also  the  ordinary  gifts  of  teaching,  exhortation,  and  pro- 
phecying,  enumerated  in  1  Cor.  12.  Gifts  of  the  former  class  were 
communicated  by  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  apostles.  Acts  8  :  17. 
19  :  6,  and  therefore  abounded  in  churches  founded  by  the  apostles,  1  Cor. 
1  :  7.  Gal.  3:5.  In  this  case  the  expression  includes  any  and  every 
benefit,  of  a  religious  kind,  which  the  apostle  might  be  the  means  of 
bestowing,    comp.  vs.  12,  13. 

(12)  That  is,  that  I  may  be  comforted  together  with  you,  &c.  This 
verse  is  connected  with  the  last  clause  of  the  preceding;  it  does  not 
imply  that  the  apostle  was  to  receive  from  them  the  same  gifts  that  he 
wished  to  impart  to  them,  but  that  he  expected  to  be  benefited  by  their 
improvement.  It  is  designed,  therefore,  with  singular  modesty,  to  in- 
sinuate that  he  did  not  imagine  himself  above  being  improved  by  the 
Roman  Christians,  or  that  the  benefit  would  be  all  on  one  side.  He 
hoped  to  derive  good  from  those  to  whom  he  imparted  good.  The  word 
rendered  to  comfort,  means  to  invite,  to  exhort,  to  instruct,  to  console,  &c. 
Which  of  these  senses  is  to  be  preferred  here  it  is  not  easy  to  decide. 
Most  probably  the  apostle  intended  to  use  the  word  in  a  wide  sense,  as 
expressing  the  idea  that  he  might  be  excited,  encouraged,  and  comforted 
by  his  intercourse  with  his  Christian  brethren. 

(13)  Now  I  would  not  have  you  ignorant,  brethren,  that  oftentimes  I pur^ 
posed  to  come  unto  you,  &c.  In  ch.  15 :  22,  23,  he  mentions  the  same 
fact,  and  says  this  purpose  had  been  long  entertained  ;  its  execution  was 
prevented  by  providential  circumstances,  or  direct  intimations  of  the 
divine  will.  In  1  Tliess.  2 :  18,  he  tells  the  Thessalonians  that  Sataa 
had  hindered  his  coming  to  them.  In  Acts  16 :  6,  7,  it  is  said  that  he 
*'  was  forbidden  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  preach  the  word  in  Asia."  And 
in  Rom.  15 :  21,  22,  he  says  his  pressing  calls  to  preach  the  gospel 
where  it  had  not  before  been  heard,  had  much  hindered  his  going  to 
Rome.     His  object  in  desiring  to  visit  them  was  that  he  might  have  some 


ROMANS  1  :  1—17.  25 

fruit  among  them^  as  among  other  Gentiles.  Ih  have  fruit,  commonly 
means  to  derive  advantage  from;  ch.  6  :  21,22,  "  what  fruit  had  ye," 
i.  e.  what  advantage  had  ye.  Many  give  the  words  this  sense  here,  and 
understand  the  apostle  as  referring  to  personal  benefits  of  some  kind, 
which  he  wished  to  derive  from  preaching  to  them.  But  it  is  much 
more  natural  to  understand  him  as  referring  to  that  fruit  which,  as  Calvin 
remarks,  the  apostles  were  sent  to  gather.  John  15  :  16,  "  I  have  chosen 
you  that  ye  might  go  and  bring  forth  fruit  (i.  e.  produce  great  results), 
and  that  your  fruit  should  remain." 

(14)  I  am  debtor  both  to  the  GreeJfs  and  the  Barbarians^  both  the  ivise  ana 
the  unwise.  That  is,  "  I  am  officially  bound  to  preach  to  all  classes  of 
men."  Those  whom  he  calls  in  the  first  clause  Greeks  and  Barbarians, 
he  calls  in  the  second  wise  and  unwise.  As  the  Greeks  called  all  fo- 
reigners Barbarians,  and  as  most  other  nations  were  uncivilized,  the  term 
barbarian  was  often  used  as  equivalent  to  rude,  uncultivated.  Pro- 
perl  3%  however,  it  means  a  foreigner,  one  of  another  language,  especially 
in  reference  to  the  Greeks  :  for  the  Romans  were  called  and  called  them- 
selves barbarians,  until  the  Greek  language  and  literature  prevailed 
among  them.  Paul  uses  it  in  its  original  sense  in  1  Cor.  14:  11,  "I 
shall  be  unto  him  that  speaketh  a  barbarian,  and  he  that  speaketh  shall 
be  a  barbarian  unto  me,"  i.  e.  we  shall  be  as  foreigners  to  each  other,  if 
one  uses  a  tongue  unknown  to  the  other.  It  is  used,  as  here,  for  those 
destitute  of  Roman  or  Jewish  culture,  Acts  28:  2,  4,  and  Col.  3:  11. 
It  is  said  to  have  been  first  employed  as  a  term  of  reproach  by  the  Greeks 
in  reference  to  the  Persians  after  their  wars  with  that  people. 

(15)  So,  as  much  as  in  me  is,  I  am  ready  to  preach  the  gospel  to  you  that 
are  at  Borne  also.  As  the  apostle's  obligation  extended  to  all  classes,  he 
was  prepared  to  preach  even  at  Rome,  where  he  might  expect  the  great- 
est opposition  and  contempt.  Our  translation  of  the  first  clause  of  this 
verse  is  the  same  as  that  given  by  Grotius.  It  may,  however,  be  ren- 
dered so,  my  desire  is,  or  so,  I  am  ready. 

(16)  For  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  for  it  is  the  power  of 
God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  believeth  ;  to  the  Jeiu  first,  and  also  to 
the  Greek.  We  have  here  the  theme  of  the  whole  epistle.  The  gos- 
pel proposes  salvation  on  the  condition  of  faith  ;  and  it  is  universally 
applicable  to  the  Greek  as  well  as  the  Jew.  These  ideas  are  presented 
more  fully  in  the  two  following  verses.  Thus  naturally  does  the  apostle 
introduce  the  great  topics  of  discussion,  the  method  of  salvation,  and  the 
persons  to  whom  it  may  be  proposed.  The  connexion  between  this  and 
the  preceding  verse  is  obvious.  The  reason  why  he  was  ready  to  preach 
the  gospel,  even  in  the  proud  capital  of  the  world,  was  that  it  is  divinely 
efficacious  in  securing  the  salvation  of  men.  It  does  what  no  other  sys- 
tem ever  did  or  can  accomplish.  The  words  rendered  the  power  of  God 
may  be  taken  for  divinely  efficacious  ;  better,  however,  as  expressing  the 
idea  of  that  through  which  the  power  of  God  is  manifested.  Acts  8:10. 
1  Cor.  1  :  18,  24.      'The  gospel  is  an  instrument,  in  the  hands  of  God, 

C 


26  ROMANS  1:  1—17. 

truly  powerful  in  saving-  men/  To  every  one  that  helieveth.  Emphasis 
must  be  laid  upon  both  members  of  this  clause.  The  gospel  is  thus  effi- 
cacious to  every  one^  without  distinction  between  Jew  and  Gentile ;  and 
to  every  one  that  helieveth,  not  who  is  circumcised,  or  who  obeys  the 
law,  or  who  does  this  or  that,  but  who  believes,  i.  e:  who  receives  and 
confides  in  Jesus  Christ  in  all  the  characters,  and  for  all  the  purposes,  in 
•which  he  is  presented  in  the  gospel.  It  will  be  very  clearly  seen  in  the 
progress  of  the  epistle  that  Paul  attributes  no  special  efficacy  to  faith 
itself,  considered  as  an  exercise  of  the  mind.  As  such,  it  is  no  more 
worthy  of  being  the  condition  of  salvation  than  love,  or  repentance,  or 
resignation,  or  any  other  act  of  obedience  to  the  law  of  God.  It  is  as 
the  organ  of  reception ;  as  the  acquiescence  of  the  soul  in  the  method  of 
salvation  proposed  in  the  gospel,  that  it  is  the  turning  point  in  the  des- 
tiny of  every  human  being.  The  grand  idea  of  this  epistle,  and  of  the 
whole  Bible  (as  far  as  this  subject  is  concerned),  is  that  the  ground  of 
our  justification,  and  the  source  of  our  sanctification,  are  not  in  ourselves ; 
that  neither  human  merit  nor  human  power  can  have  any  of  the  glory  of 
our  salvation.  To  the  merit  of  Christ  we  owe  our  acceptance  with  God, 
and  to  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  our  preparation  for  his  presence. 
To  the  Jew  first,  and  ako  to  the  Greek.  It  would  be  in  direct  contradiction 
to  one  of  the  prominent  objects  of  the  apostle  in  writing  this  epistle,  as 
well  as  to  his  explicit  declarations,  to  make  this  clause  teach  that  the 
gospel  was  specially  designed  or  adapted  for  the  Jews,  see  ch.  3  :  9,  22, 
29.  10:  12,  &c.  The  meaning  obviously  is,  'for  the  Jew  in  the  first 
instance,  and  then  for  the  Greek.'  The  gospel  was  to  be  preached  to 
all  nations,  beginning  at  Jerusalem,  compare  Acts  3  :  26  and  13  :  26. 
Paul  often  says  '  Jews  and  Greeks'*  for  '  Jews  and  Gentiles,'  ch.  2 :  9. 
3 :  9,  &c.,  because,  after  the  conquests  of  Alexander,  the  Greeks  were 
the  Gentiles  with  whom  the  Jews  were  most  familiar. 

(17)  For  therein  the  righteousness  of  God  is  revealed  from,  faith  to  faiih, 
&c.  The  reason  why  the  gospel  is  so  efficacious  in  the  salvation  of  men, 
i.  e.  in  securing  the  pardon  of  their  sins,  and  the  moral  renovation  of 
their  hearts  and  lives,  is  not  that  it  reveals  a  perfect  moral  system,  or 
that  it  teaches  the  doctrine  of  a  future  state  of  reward  and  punishment,  or 
that  it  discloses  new  views  of  the  divine  character.  All  this  is  true  and 
efficacious ;  but  the  power  of  the  gospel  lies  in  the  fact  that  it  teaches  the 
doctrine  of  justification  by  faith,  or,  in  other  words,  it  reveals  the  right- 
eousness of  God  by  faith.  This  expression  is  one  of  the  most  important  in 
the  epistle,  and  is  variously  explained. 

The  word  rendered  righteousness  has,  in  the  Scriptures,  a  very  great 
extent  and  variety  of  meaning.  It  signifies  not  mexe\y  justice  in  its  strict 
sense,  but  general  rectitude,  including  all  moral  excellence.  It  is  used, 
therefore,  especially  in  the  Old  Testament,  for  almost  every  specific  vir- 
tue, as  truth,  benevolence,  mercy,  &c.  Its  common  and  proper  meaning  is, 
that  which  makes  a  jnanjust,  i.  e.  which  fulfils  and  satisfies  all  the  claims 
of  justice  or  law.     Hence,  a  just  man  is  one  who  can  stand  in  judgment. 


ROMANS  1 :  1—17.  27 

See  tlfle  constant  opposition  between  the  just  and  the  unjust ;  between 
those  who  can,  and  those  who  cannot  answer  the  demands  of  law.  The 
word,  therefore,  expresses  together  with  the  idea  of  excellence  that  of  a 
claim  or  title  to  its  consequent  rewards ;  in  other  words,  it  expresses 
the  whole  state  or  condition  of  those  who  have  done  all  that  the  law 
requires  in  order  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  divine  favour.  Sometimes  one, 
and  sometimes  the  other  of  these  two  leading  ideas  is  the  more  pro- 
minent. The  word  righteousness,  therefore,  is  sometimes  equivalent  to 
moral  rectitude  or  excellence,  and  sometimes  to  salvation.  See  such 
passages  as  Isa.  45:  8.  51 :  5.  56:  1,  where  the  words  righteousness  and 
salvation  are  used  as  nearly  synonymous.  Compare  also  Ps.  24  :  5, 
"  He  shall  receive  the  blessing  from  the  Lord,  and  righteousness  from 
the  God  of  his  salvation ;"  here  righteousness  is  equivalent  to  justifica- 
tion. This  passage  (Ps.  24:.  5),  therefore,  maybe  rendered,  "  He  shall 
be  justified  by  the  God  of  his-  salvation."  In  a  multitude  of  cases  the 
word  is  used  in  this  complex  sense  in  the  New  Testament,  Gal.  2 :  21, 
"If  righteousness  (justification,  i.  e.  excellence  and  its  consequences) 
come  by  the  law,  Christ  is  dead  in  vain."  Gal.  3:  21,  "If  there  had 
been  a  law  which  could  have  given  life,  verily  righteousness  (justifica- 
tion in  the  same  sense  as  before)  would  have  been  by  the  law."  Thus, 
too,  in  the  phrases  "  ministration  of  righteousness,"  2  Cor.  3:9;  "  the 
law  of  righteousness,"  Rom.  9  :  31,  &c.  the  word  is  used  in  the  same 
sense.  It  is  the  prominent  doctrine  of  the  apostle  Paul,  that  this  right- 
eousness, this  meritorious  excellence  and  its  consequent  blessings,  cannot 
be  obtained  by  the  law,  that  it  is  secured  by  faith,  and  is  the  gift  of  God ; 
it  is  the  righteousness  of  God,  i.  e.  that  which  he  bestows. 

In  this  and  other  passages  in  this  epistle  where  the  expression  "right- 
eousness of  God"  occurs,  it  is  subjected  to  various  interpretations.  The 
three  most  important  are  the  following.  According  to  the  first  it  means, 
the  justice,  rectitude,  or  mercy  of  God.  According  to  the  second  it 
means,  God's  method  of  justification;  and  according  to  the  third  and 
most  common,  that  righteousness  which  God  bestows,  and  which  is 
acceptable  in  his  sight.  In  favour  of  this  last  interpretation  it  may  be 
argued, — 1.  That  it  assigns  to  the  word  righteousness  its  most  common  and 
appropriate  meaning.  2.  It  suits  almost  all  the  passages  in  which  the 
phrase  "  righteousness  of  God"  occurs ;  seech.  3:  21.  10:  3.  Phil.  3: 
9,  &c.  3.  It  is  suitable  to  the  opposition  between  the  expressions 
"righteousness  of  faith"  and  "righteousness  of  the  law."  The  former 
means  that  excellence  (together  with  its  consequences)  which  is  obtained 
by  faith,  the  latter  that  which  is  obtained  by  obedience  to  the  law. 
4.  It  is  especially  recommended  by  a  comparison  with  Phil.  3:9."  Not 
having  my  own  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is 
through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith." 
Here,  it  is  evident,  that  "  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God"  means 
that  justifying  righteousness  which  God  gives,  as  distinguished  from  that 
which  is  obtained  by  our  own  works;  and  is  the  apostle's  own  explanu 


28  ROMANS  1:  1—17. 

tion  of  the  more  concise  phrase  "  righteousness  of  God."  5.  Thi»  inter- 
pretation is  entirely  suitable  to  the  context.  The  efficacy  of  the  gospel 
is  attributed  to  the  fact  that  a  meritorious  and  saving  excellence  is  there- 
in revealed,  and  which  God  offers  as  the  ground  of  the  sinner's  depend- 
ence in  preference  to  any  righteousness  or  merit  of  his  own. 

The  words  from  faith  to  faith  are  not  to  be  connected  with  the  word 
revealed,  as  though  the  meaning  were,  '  revealed  from  faith  to  faith,'  but 
with  the  word  righteousness.  It  is  "  the  righteousness  of  God,  which  is 
by  faith  to  faith,^^  thdit  is  disclosed  by  the  gospel.  The  most  natural 
interpretation  of  these  words  is  that  which  makes  the  repetition  merely 
intensive — '  from  faith  to  faith,'  entirely  of  faith,  in  which  works  have  no 
part.  See  2  Cor.  2 :  16,  "death  to  death,"  means  very  deadly,  "life 
unto  life,"  eminently  salutary.  That  righteousness,  then,  which  is 
acceptable  before  God  is  that  of  which  he  is  the  author,  and  which  is 
received  by  faith  alone. 

^s  it  is  written,  The  just  shall  live  by  faith.  The  words,  as  it  is  written, 
are  the  usual  formula  of  reference  to  the  Old  Testament.  In  what  rela- 
tion the  passage  cited  may  stand  to  the  topic  in  hand,  whether  as  a  pre- 
diction, or  an  inculcation  of  the  same  or  some  analogous  truth,  or  of 
something  which  may  serve  as  an  illustration,  depends  entirely  on  the 
context.  In  the  present  case,  Paul  wishes  to  show  the  importance  of 
faith,  by  a  reference  to  a  passage  in  Habakkuk  2  :  4,  in  which  the  pro- 
phet declares  that  the  safety  of  the  people  depended  upon  their  believing. 
Those  who  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  the  threatenings  and  promises  of  God 
should  perish,  but  those  who  believed  should  live.  The  passage,  there- 
fore, is  directly  in  point,  and  shows  that,  as  well  in  reference  to  the 
external  theocracy  of  the  Old  Testament,  as  to  the  spiritual  theocracy  or 
kingdom  of  Christ,  under  the  New  Testament,  the  favour  of  God  was  to 
be  secured  by  faith. 

Agreeably  to  the  position  of  the  words  in  the  original,  these  words 
may  be  pointed  either  thus,  '  the  just  by  faith,  shall  live,'  or  thus, 
'the  just,  by  faith  shall  live.'  The  former  is  more  consistent  with  the 
immediate  object  of  the  apostle,  who  is  speaking  of  a  justness  by  faith. 
It  is  also  the  connexion  and  sense  of  the  words  in  the  Old  Testament. 
Shall  live,  shall  enjoy  the  favour  of  God,  whose  favour  is  life,  and  whose 
loving-kindness  is  better  than  life,  see  Rom.  5:17.  8  :  13.  10  :  5,  and  the 
numerous  passages  in  which  the  word  life  expresses  all  the  benefits  of 
the  redemption  of  Christ. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  The  apostolic  office,  except  as  to  what  was  peculiar  and  extraordi- 
nary, being  essentially  the  same  with  the  ministerial  office  in  general, 
Paul  teaches,  1.  That  ministers  are  the  servants  of  Christ,  deriving  their 
authority  from  him,  and  not  from  the  people  ;  2.  That  their  calling  is  to 
preach  the  gospel,  to  which  all  other  avocations  must  be  made  subordi- 
nate ;  3.  That  the  object  of  their  appointment  is  to  bring  men  to  the  obe- 


ROMANS  1:  1—17.  29 

dience  of  faith ;  4.  That  their  field  is  all  nations;  5.  That  the  design  of 
all  is  to  honour  Christ;  it  is  for  his  name,  vs.  1 — 5. 

2.  The  g-ospel  is  contained,  in  its  rudiments,  in  the  Old  Testament. 
It  is  the  soul  of  the  old  dispensation,  v.  2. 

3.  Christ  is  the  Alpha  and  Omega  of  the  gospel.  In  stating  the  sub- 
stance of  the  gospel,  Paul  says,  '  It  concerns  Jesus  Christ,'  v.  3. 

4.  Christ  is  at  once  God  and  man;  the  son  of  David  and  the  Son  of 
God,  vs.  3,  4. 

5.  Christ  is  called  the  Son  of  God  in  reference  to  his  divine  nature,  and 
on  account  of  the  relation  in  which,  as  God,  he  stands  to  the  Father. 
The  name,  therefore,  is  expressive  of  his  divine  character,  vs.  3,  4. 

6.  He  is  the  proper  object  of  prayer,  and  the  source  of  spiritual  bless- 
ings, V.  7. 

7.  He  is  the  mediator,  through  whom  our  prayers  and  thanksgiving 
must  be  presented  unto  God,  v.  8. 

8.  God  is  the  source  of  all  spiritual  good ;  is  to  be  worshipped  in  spi- 
rit, and  agreeably  to  the  gospel ;  and  his  providence  is  to  be  recognised 
in  reference  to  the  most  ordinary  affairs  of  life,  vs.  8 — 10. 

9.  Ministers  are  not  a  class  of  men  exalted  above  the  people,  and 
independent  of  them  for  spiritual  benefits,  but  are  bound  to  seek,  as  well 
as  to  impart  good,  in  all  their  intercourse  with  those  to  whom  they  are 
sent,  vs.  11,  12. 

10.  Ministers  are  bound  to  preach  the  gospel  to  all  men,  rich  as  well 
as  poor,  wise  as  well  as  unwise ;  for  it  is  equally  adapted  to  the  wants 
of  all,  vs.  14,  15. 

11.  The  salvation  of  men,  including  the  pardon  of  their  sins,  and  the 
moral  renovation  of  their  hearts,  can  be  effected  by  the  gospel  alone.  The 
wisdom  of  men,  during  four  thousand  years  previous  to  the  advent  of 
Christ,  failed  to  discover  any  adequate  means  for  the  attainment  of  either 
of  these  objects ;  and  those  who,  since  the  advent,  have  neglected  the 
gospel,  have  been  equally  unsuccessful,  v.  16,  &c. 

12.  The  power  of  the  gospel  lies  not  in  its  pure  theism,  or  perfect 
moral  code,  but  in  the  cross,  in  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  in  a 
crucified  Redeemer,  v.  17,  &c. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Ministers  should  remember  that  they  are  "separated  unto  the  gos- 
pel," and  that  any  occupation  which,  by  its  demands  upon  their  atten- 
tion, or  from  its  influence  on  their  character  or  feelings,  interferes  with 
their  devotion  to  this  object,  is  for  them  wrong,  v.  I. 

2.  If  Jesus  Christ  is  the  great  subject  of  the  gospel,  it  is  evident  that 
we  cannot  have  right  views  of  the  one,  without  having  correct  opinions 
respecting  the  other.  What  think  ye  of  Christ  1  cannot  be  a  minor 
question.  To  be  Christians  we  must  recognise  him  as  the  Messiah,  or 
Son  of  David ;  and  as  divine,  or  the  Son  of  God  ;  we  must  be  able  to 

c2 


?0  ROMANS  1 :  19—32. 

pray  to  him,  to  look  for  blessings  from  him,  and  recognise  him  as  the 
mediator  between  God  and  man,  vs.  1 — 8. 

3.  Christians  should  remember  that  they  are  saints  ,-  that  is,  persons 
separated  from  the  world  and  consecrated  to  God.  They  therefore  can- 
not serve  themselves  or  the  world,  without  a  dereliction  of  their  character. 
They  are  saints,  because  called  and  made  such  of  God.  To  all  such, 
grace  and  peace  are  secured  by  the  mediation  of  Christ,  and  the  promise 
of  God,  V.  7. 

4.  In  presenting  truth,  every  thing  consistent  with  fidelity  should  be 
done  to  conciliate  the  confidence  and  kind  feelings  of  those  to  whom  it  is 
addressed;  and  every  thing  avoided,  which  tends  to  excite  prejudice 
against  the  speaker  or  his  message.  Who  more  faithful  than  Paul  ? 
Yet  who  more  anxious  to  avoid  offence  1  Who  more  solicitous  to  pre- 
sent the  truth,  not  in  its  most  irritating  form,  but  in  the  manner  best 
adapted  to  gain  for  it  access  to  the  unruffled  minds  of  his  readers  ?  vs. 
8—14. 

5.  As  all  virtues,  according  to  the  Christian  system,  are  graces  (gifts), 
they  afford  matter  for  thanksgiving,  but  never  for  self-commendation,  v.8. 

6.  The  intercourse  of  Christians  should  be  desired,  and  made  to  result 
in  edification,  by  their  mutual  faith,  v.  12. 

7.  He  who  rejects  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith,  rejects  the  gos- 
pel. His  whole  method  of  salvation,  and  system  of  religion,  must  be 
different  from  those  of  the  apostles,  v.  17. 

8.  Whether  we  be  wise  or  unwise,  moral  or  immoral,  in  the  sight  of 
men,  orthodox  or  heterodox  in  our  opinions  ;  unless  we  are^believers,  un^ 
less  we  cordially  receive  'the  righteousness  which  is  of  God,'  as  the 
ground  of  acceptance,  we  have  not  part  or  lot  in  the  salvation  of  the 
gospel,  v.  17. 

CHAP.  1 :  18—32. 

^^For  the  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness 
and  unrighteousness  of  men,  who  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness; 
^^because  that  which  may  be  known  of  God  is  manifest  in  them ; 
for  God  hath  showed  it  unto  them.  ^op^j.  tjjg  invisible  things  of 
him  from  the  creation  of  the  world  are  clearly  seen,  being  under- 
stood by  the  things  that  are  made,  even  his  eternal  power  and  God- 
head ;  so  that  they  are  without  excuse  :  ^^Because  that,  when  they  knew 
God,  they  glorified  him  not  as  God,  neither  were  thankful ;  but  became 
vain  in  their  imaginations,  and  their  foolish  heart  was  darkened.  ^sp^Q. 
fessing  themselves  to  be  wise,  they  became  fools,  ^^and  changed  the 
glory  of  the  incorruptible  God  into  an  image  made  like  to  corruptible 
man,  and  to  birds,  and  four-footed  beasts,  and  creeping  things.  **Where- 
fore  God  also  gave  them  up  to  uncleanness  through  the  lusts  of  their  own 
hearts,  to  dishonour  their  own  bodies  between  themselves:    ^^wha 


ROMANS  1  :  18—32.  1^1 

changed  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie,  and  worshipped  and  served  the  crea- 
ture more  than  the  Creator,  who  is  blessed  for  ever.  Amen.  ^ep^j.  ^j^jg 
cause  God  gave  them  up  unto  vile  affections  :  for  even  their  women  did 
change  the  natural  use  into  that  which  is  against  nature :  ^^and  likewise 
also  the  men,  leaving  the  natural  use  of  the  women,  burned  in  their  lust 
one  towards  another;  men  with  men  working  that  which  is  unseemly, 
and  receiving  in  themselves  that  recompense  of  their  error  which  was 
meet,  "s^^d  even  as  they  did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  /Ae/r  knewledge, 
God  gave  them  over  to  a  reprobate  mind,  to  do  those  things  which  are 
not  convenient;  ^^heing  filled  with  all  unrighteousness,  fornication, 
wickedness,  covetousness,  maliciousness ;  full  of  envy,  murder,  debate, 
deceit,  malignity ;  whisperers,  ^"backbiters,  haters  of  God,  despiteful, 
proud,  boasters,  inventors  of  evil  things,  disobedient  to  parents,  ^hvith- 
out  understanding,  covenant-breakers,  without  natural  affection,  implaca- 
ble, unmerciful :  ^^who  knowing  the  judgment  of  God,  that  they  which 
commit  such  things  are  worthy  of  death,  not  only  do  the  same,  but  have 
pleasure  in  them  that  do  them. 

ANALYSIS. 

The  apostle,  having  stated  that  the  only  righteousness  available  in  the 
sight  of  God  is  that  which  is  obtained  by  faith,  proceeds  to  prove  that  such 
is  the  case.  This  proof  required  that  he  should,  in  the  first  instance, 
demonstrate  that  the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  or  of  works,  was 
insufficient  for  the  justification  of  a  sinner.  This  he  does,  first  in  refer- 
ence to  the  Gentiles,  ch.  1 :  18 — 32 ;  and  then  in  relation  to  the  Jews, 
ch.  2 : — 3  :  1 — 20.  The  residue  of  this  chapter  then  is  designed  to 
prove  that  the  Gentiles  are  justly  exposed  to  condemnation.  The  apostle 
thus  argues:  God  is  just;  his  displeasure  against  sin  (which  is  its 
punishment)  is  clearly  revealed,  v.  18.  This  principle  is  assumed  by 
the  apostle  as  the  foundation  of  his  whole  argument.  If  this  be  granted, 
it  follows  that  all,  who  are  chargeable  with  either  impiety  or  immorality, 
are  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God,  and  cannot  claim  his  favour  on  the 
ground  of  their  own  character  or  conduct.  That  the  Gentiles  are  justly 
chargeable  with  both  impiety  and  immorality,  he  thus  proves.  They 
have  ever  enjoyed  such  a  revelation  of  the  divine  character  as  to  render 
them  inexcusable,  vs.  19,  20.  Notwithstanding  this  opportunity  of 
knowing  God,  they  neither  worshipped  nor  served  him,  but  gave  them- 
selves up  to  all  forms  of  idolatry.  This  is  the  height  of  all  impiety,  vs. 
21,  23.  In  consequence  of  this  desertion  of  God,  he  gave  them  up  to  the 
evil  of  their  own  hearts,  so  that  they  sank  into  all  manner  of  debasing 
crimes.  The  evidences  of  this  corruption  of  morals  were  so  painfully 
obvious,  that  Paul  merely  appeals  to  the  knowledge  which  his  readers 
all  possessed  of  the  fact,  vs.  24 — 31.  These  various  crimes  they  do  not 
commit  ignorantly ;  they  are  aware  of  their  ill-desert ;  and  yet  they 
not  only  commit  them  themselves,  but  encourage  others  in  the  same 
course,  v.  32. 


32  ROMANS  1:  18—32. 

The  inference  from  the  established  sinfulness  of  the  Gentile  world, 
Paul  does  not  draw,  until  he  has  substantiated  the  same  charge  against 
the  Jews.  He  then  says,  since  all  are  sinners  before  God,  no  flesh  can 
be  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law,  ch.  3  :  20. 

COMMENTARY. 

(18)  ,For  the  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  ungodli- 
ness^ and  unrighteousness  of  men,  &c.  The  connexion  of  this  verse  with 
the  preceding,  and  consequently  the  force  of  the  particle/or,  will  be  per- 
ceived, if  it  is  remembered  that  Paul  had  just  asserted,  that  those  only 
who  were  just  by  faith,  could  live  ;  in  other  words,  that  no  righteousness 
but  that  which  is  of  God  by  faith,  can  avail  to  the  justification  of  men. 
The  reason  is  assigned  in  this  verse;  God  is  just.  Men  must  be  justi- 
fied by  faith, /or  the  wrath  of  God  is  revealed,  &c.  The  wrath  of  God 
means  his  disapprobation  of  sin  and  his  determination  to  punish  it.  The 
passion  which  is  called  anger  or  wrath,  and  which  is  always  mixed  more 
or  less  with  malignity  in  the  human  breast,  is,  of  course,  infinitely 
removed  from  what  the  word  imports  when  used  in  reference  to  God. 
Yet  as  anger  in  men  leads  to  the  infliction  of  evil  on  its  object,  the  word 
is,  agreeable  to  a  principle  which  pervades  the  Scriptures,  applied  to  the 
calm  and  undeviating  purpose  of  the  divine  Mind,  which  secures  the 
connexion  between  sin  and  misery,  with  the  same  general  uniformity 
that  any  other  law  in  the  physical  or  moral  government  of  God  operates. 
This  wrath  is  revealed  from  heaven,  that  is,  it  is  clearly  revealed  ;  made 
known  from  heaven,  where  God  dwells,  and  whence  all  manifestations  of 
his  character  are  said  to  proceed.  This  revelation  is  from  heaven,  as  the 
lightning  is,  which  forces  itself  on  the  most  reluctant  vision.  Paul  as- 
sumes that  God's  punitive  justice  forces  itself  on  the  knowledge  and 
conviction  of  every  sinner.  He,  therefore,  neither  tells  us  how  it  is  ma- 
nifested, nor  does  he  attempt  to  prove  that  such  is  the  fact.  It  is  one  of 
those  obvious  and  ultimate  truths  which,  existing  in  every  man's  con- 
sciousness, may  safely  be  assumed  as  both  known  and  admitted. 

Against  all  ungodliness  and  unrighteousness  of  men.  Although  the 
words  ungodliness  and  unrighteousness  are  often  used  indiscriminately, 
they  are  not  to  be  considered  in  this  case  as  synonymous,  because  Paul 
distinctly  proves  that  the  Gentiles  are  chargeable  both  with  impiety  and 
immorality,  in  the  ordinary  acceptation  of  these  terms.  These  two  all- 
comprehensive  classes  of  sins  are  declared  to  be  the  objects  of  the  divine 
displeasure. 

Who  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness.  The  word  truth  is  here  va- 
riously explained.  It  is  obviously  inconsistent  with  the  context  to  un- 
derstand it  of  the  gospel,  as  though  the  apostle  meant  to  denounce 
judgment  on  those  who  opposed  the  gospel.  The  word  is  used  with 
considerable  latitude  in  the  Scriptures.  It  is  often  used  for  true  religion^ 
including  both  its  doctrines,  John  8 :  32.  Rom.  2:  20.  2  Cor.  4  :  2,  &c. 


ROMANS  1 :  18—32.  33 

&c.,  and  its  duties,  John  3  :  21.  1  John  1:6,  "  who  do  not  the  truth," 
&c.  Such  is  probably  its  meaning  here.  The  word  rendered  to  hold,  in 
the  sense  oi  having  in  possession,  is  so  used  in  1  Cor.  7  :  30.  15  :  2.  Luke 
8  :  15,  &c.  If  this  sense  be  adopted  here,  the  word  truih  must  be  un- 
derstood objectively,  for  the  true  doctrine  ;  and  in  unrighteousness  should 
be  rendered  with  unri ghteousness.  The  meaning  of  the  clause  would 
then  be,  'who  have  the  truth  with  unrighteousness,'  i.  e.  although  pos- 
sessed of  the  truth  are  still  unrighteous.  See  James  2  :  1,  for  a  precisely 
similar  expression,  "  my  brethren,  have  not  the  faith  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  with  respect  of  persons,"  i.  e.  do  not,  if  believers,  cherish  a  re- 
spect of  persons.  As,  however,  the  word  also  means  to  hold  back,  to 
hinder,  and  then  to  impede ;  it  may  be  so  understood  here,  and  the  clause 
be  rendered  'who  oppose  the  truth  by  unrighteousness;'  or  better,  'who 
wickedly  oppose  the  truth,'  i.  e.  religion.  The  latter  interpretation  is 
the  simpler  of  the  two,  but  the  former  is  sustained,  in  some  measure,  by 
a  comparison  w'wh.  v.  21,  in  which  men  are  represented  as  knowing  God, 
i.  e.  having  the  truth,  and  yet  acting  wickedly. 

(19)  Because  that  which  may  be  known  of  God  is  manifest  in  them,  &c. 
The  apostle's  object  being  to  prove  that  the  Gentiles  are  justly  charge- 
able with  impiety,  he  commences  by  showing  that  they  have  not  the  ex- 
cuse  of  ignorance,  since  all  men  have  enjoyed  a  competent  revelation  of 
the  divine  character.  This  he  introduces  naturally  by  means  of  the  asso- 
ciating idea  contained  in  the  last  clause  of  v.  18,  'men  are  wicked  in 
their  opposition  to  the  truth  since  they  have  a  revelation  sufficient  to  ren- 
der them  inexcusable.'  That  which  may  be  known.  Such  is  the  com- 
mon and  proper  meaning  of  the  word  here  used,  and  which  suits  well 
the  context.  It  is,  therefore,  to  be  preferred  to  another  rendering,  which 
is  also  philologically  correct,  according  to  which  the  word  means  know- 
kdge,  '  the  knowledge  of  God  is  revealed,' &c.  The  words  translated 
in  them  may  be  rendered  to  them,  or  among  them.  The  first  is  to  be  pre- 
ferred, as  it  is  more  natural  and  more  forcible.  It  is  not  an  external 
revelation,  merely,  of  which  the  apostle  is  speaking,  but  of  that  witness 
of  the  existence  and  perfections  of  God,  also,  which  every  man  has  in 
the  constitution  of  his  own  nature  ;  and  in  virtue  of  which  alone  he  is 
competent  to  appreciate  the  manifestations  of  God  in  his  works.  For 
God  hath  showed  it  unto  them.  The  knowledge  in  question  is  a  revela- 
tion. It  is  a  manifestation  of  God  in  them  and  to  them.  The  revelation 
to  which  Paul  specially  refers  is  that  wiiich  is  made  in  the  external 
world,  and  for  the  right  apprehension  of  which  God  has  fashioned  our 
nature. 

(20)  For  the  invisible  things  of  him  from  the  creation  of  the  world  are 
clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the  things  that  are  made,  even  his  eternal 
power  and  Godhead,  &c.  This  verse  is  a  confirmation  and  illustration 
of  the  preceding.  The  knowledge  of  which  Paul  speaks  relates  to  the 
invisible  things  of  God ;  that  is,  to  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead. 
These  things,  Paul  says,  are  seen,  though  invisible,  by  their  manifesta- 


34  ROMANS  1 :  18—32. 

tion  in  the  external  world.  This  manifestation  is  perpetual  and  univer- 
sal. \l  \s  from  the  creation  of  the  world.  These  words  may  indeed  be 
rendered  by  the  creation^  &c.,  but  not  consistently  with  the  latter  part  of 
the  verse ;  nor  do  they,  when  thus  rendered,  give  so  pertinent  a  sense. 
These  invisible  things  are  seen,  being  understood ;  that  is,  it  is  a  mental 
vision  of  which  Paul  speaks.  The  eye  of  sense  sees  nothing  but  the 
external  object,  the  mind  sees  mind  ;  and  mind  possessed  not  of  human 
power  and  perfections,  but  of  eternal  power  and  divinity.  The  word 
rendered  divinity  me-d^n^  the  divine  majesty  and  excellence,  and  therefore 
includes  all  the  perfections  of  God.  These  perfections  are  manifested 
by  the  things  which  are  made  ;  so  the  word  here  used  properly  means, 
see  Eph.  2  :  10  ;  but  it  may  also  mean  luorks  generally.  '  Being  under- 
stood by  his  luorks,^  would  then  include  the  dispensations  of  his  provi- 
dence, as  well  as  the  products  of  his  hands.  The  common  version^, 
however,  is  more  natural  and  appropriate.  So  that  they  are  without  ex- 
cuse. These  words  are  by  many  considered  as  depending  on  the  last 
clause  of  V.  19,  '  God  hath  showed  it  unto  them,  so  that  they  are  without 
excuse.'  The  former  part  of  this  verse  is  thus  thrown  into  a  parenthesis. 
The  sense  remains  the  same.  God  has  so  manifested  himself  in  his 
works  as  to  render  the  impiety,  and  especially  the  idolatry,  of  men  inex- 
cusable. It  is  not  necessary  to  maintain  that  this  revelation  is  compe- 
tent to  supply  all  the  knowledge  which  a  sinner  needs.  It  is  enough 
that  it  renders  men  inexcusable ;  and  as  it  is  that  by  which  they  are  to 
be  judged,  ch.  2  :  14,  15  ;  if  it  be  disregarded,  it  renders  their  condemna-" 
tion  as  just,  although  not  so  severe,  as  the  condemnation  of  those  who 
disregard  the  clearer  light  of  the  gospel.  The  sentiment  of  this  verse 
occurs  in  Acts  14:  17,  "Nevertheless,  he  left  not  himself  without  a 
witness,  in  that  he  did  good,  and  gave  us  rain  from  heaven,  filling  our 
hearts  with  food  and  gladness." 

(21)  Because  that,  when  they  knew  God,  they  glorified  him  not  as  God, 
neither  were  thankful,  &c.  That  men  are  justly  chargeable  with  impiety, 
Paul  proves,  because  they  had  a  competent  knowledge  of  God,  but  did 
not  act  agreeably  to  it.  When  they  knew  means  either  having  the  op- 
portunity of  knowing,  or  actually  possessing  this  knowledge.  The 
latter  is  probably  the  apostle's  meaning.  God  has  revealed  himself  in 
the  constitution  of  human  nature,  and  in  his  works,  to  all  men.  This 
revelation  is  indeed  greatly  and  generally  neglected  ;  and  other  and  de- 
lusive guides  followed,  so  that  the  heathen  are  commonly  ignorant  of 
what  it  teaches.  In  like  manner  the  Bible  is  neglected,  and  those  to 
whom  it  is  sent,  disregarding  its  directions,  follow  those  who  teach  for 
doctrines  the  commandments  of  men.  In  both  cases,  however,  there  is 
knowledge  presented,  and  a  revelation  made ;  and  in  both  ignorance  is 
without  excuse.  As  there  is  no  apology  for  the  impiety  of  the  heathen 
to  be  found  in  any  unavoidable  ignorance  of  God,  their  idolatry  is  the 
fruit  of  depravity.  The  apostle,  therefore,  says  when  they  knew  God 
they  glorified  him  not  as  God,  neither  were  thankful.    These  two  ex- 


ROMANS  1  :  18—33.  35 

pressions  include  every  act  of  worship.  The  former  refers  to  the  recog- 
nition of  all  the  divine  perfections,  the  latter  to  the  acknowledgment  of 
God  as  the  source  of  all  good.  To  regard  God  as  possessed  of  all  ex- 
cellence, and  as  the  giver  of  all  good,  is  true  piety. 

Instead  of  thus  rendering  unto  God  the  homage  and  gratitude  which 
are  his  due,  they  became  vain  in  their  imaginations^  and  their  foolish  heart 
was  darkened.  *  They  b'ecame  vain,'  i.  e.  foolish,  senseless,  devoid  of 
true  wisdom.  "  In  their  imaginations,''^  or  opinions.  The  word  here 
used  often  occurs  in  a  bad  sense,  2  Cor.  10  :  5.  Prov.  6  :  18.  Jer.  11 :  19. 
And,  in  this  case,  it  is  the  foolish  and  wicked  opinions  respecting  divine 
things  into  which  the  heathen  were  sunk,  that  are  intended. 

Their  foolish  heart  was  darkened.  '  Their  soul  lost  all  right  apprehen- 
sions of  the  divine  character  and  perfections,  and  they  were,  hence,  able 
to  worship,  as  gods,  birds,  beasts,  and  creeping  things.'  Foolish  means 
both  sejiseless  and  wicked,  see  v.  31,  and  ch.  10:  19.  Throughout  the 
Scriptures  the  ideas  of  wickedness  and  folly,  of  wisdom  and  piety  are 
intimately  related.  In  scriptural  language  a  fool  is  a  wicked  man,  the 
wise  are  the  pious  ;  foolishness  is  sin,  and  wisdom  is  piety.  "  Wisdom 
is  the  principal  thing ;  therefore  get  wisdom,  and  with  all  thy  getting, 
get  understanding." — Prov.  4:7.  3:13,  35,  &c.  &c.  The  vanity,  there- 
fore, of  which  the  apostle  speaks,  as  consequent  on  the  loss  of  the  know- 
ledge of  God,  is  not  mere  folly;  it  expresses  the  whole  moral  character 
of  the  heathen.  Men  cannot  be  such  fools  without  being  wicked  :  comp, 
ep.  4  :  17.  1  Pet.  1 :  18. 

The  word  heart  is  used  in  this  passage,  and  frequently  elsewhere,  for 
the  whole  soul.  Men  "understand  with  the  heart,"  Matt.  13:  15; 
they  "  believe  with  the  heart,"  Rom.  10  :  10 ;  "the  heart  is  enlightened 
with  knowledge,"  2  Cor.  4 :  6,  &c.  The  Scriptures  do  not  make  the 
broad  distinction  between  the  intellectual  and  moral  faculties,  which 
philosophers  have  adopted.  As  they  speak  of  the  heart  as  the  source  of 
purely  intellectual  exercises,  so  they  use  the  word  understanding  or  mind 
for  the  seat  of  the  affections. 

(22)  Professing  themselves  to  he  loise,  they  become  fools.  The  word 
translated  professing,  means  either  simply  affirming,  saying.  Acts  25 : 
19,  or  boasting, pretending  to  be.  The  latter  is  its  meaning  here.  '  While 
making  the  highest  pretensions  to  wisdom,  they  exhibited  the  greatest 
folly.'  The  evidence  and  illustration  of  this  remark  follows  in  the  next 
verse.  That  rational  creatures,  instead  of  reverencing  the  God  who 
reveals  himself  in  all  his  works,  should  worship  creatures  inferior  to 
themselves,  even  brute  beasts,  and  offensive  reptiles,  is  the  most  hum- 
bling and  melancholy  evidence  of  the  imbecility  and  ruin  of  our  race. 
It  is  to  be  remarked,  also,  that  the  higher  the  advancement  of  the  nations 
in  refinement  and  philosophy,  the  greater,  as  a  general  rule,  the  degrada- 
tion and  folly  of  their  systems  of  religion.  Witness  the  state  of  opinion 
and  practice  on  this  subject  among  the  Egyptians,  Greeks,  and  Romans, 
in  comparison  with  the  simpler  faith  of  earlier  nations,  or  of  the  abori- 


36  ROMANS  1  :   18—32. 

gines  of  America.  The  farther  men  have  departed  from  the  teachings  oi 
divine  revelation,  however  made,  and  the  more  they  have  relied  on  their 
own  understanding,  the  more  deplorably  besotted  and  foolish  have  they 
become.  And  it  matters  little  under  what  external  circumstances  this 
departure  is  made,  the  result  is  always  the  same.  In  the  midst  of  all 
the  light  of  modern  science,  and  of  the  reflection  from  the  w'ord  of  God 
which  illuminates  the  whole  atmosphere,  the 'modern  materialists  of 
France,  and  pantheistical  idealists  of  Germany,  while  professing  them- 
selves to  be  wise,  have  become  fools,  as  conspicuously  and  as  fully  as 
any  of  the  ancient  deniers  of  the  only  living  and  true  God ;  and  for  the 
very  same  reason  :  '  they  do  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge.' 

(23)  And  changed  the  glory  of  the  uncorruptible  God  into  an  image  made 
like  unto  corruptible  man^  &LC.  Herein  consisted  their  amazing  folly,  that 
they  should  worship  the  lowest  of  his  creatures  instead  of  the  glorious 
Creator.  The  glory  of  the  incorruptible  God  is  equivalent  to  the  glorious  in 
coi-ruptible  God.  The  phrase  rendered  change  the  glory  into,  &c.  may  more 
correctly  be  rendered  exchanged  the  glory  foi;  &c.  '  They  exchange  the 
glorious  God  for  senseless  idols.'  Compare  Ps.  106  :  20,  which  may  be 
translated,  'they  exchanged  their  glory  for  the  similitude  of  an  ox  that 
eateth  grass ;'  Jer.  2  :  11,  "  my  people  have  changed  their  glory  for  that 
which  doth  not  profit;"  Hosea  4 :  7.  Greater  folly  than  this  exchange 
of  the  living  and  glorious  God  for  the  mere  image  of  birds,  beasts,  and 
reptiles,  the  world  has  never  seen.  That  the  heathen  really  worshipped 
such  objects  is  well  known.  Philo  says  that  the  whole  land  of  Egypt 
was  covered  with  temples  and  groves,  dedicated  to  dogs,  wolves,  lions, 
land  and  water  animals,  crocodiles,  birds,  &c.  With  regard  to  the  vast 
majority  of  the  people,  the  homage  terminated  on  the  animal  or  the  idol ; 
and  the  case  was  but  little  better  with  the  pantheistical  refiners  and 
defenders  of  this  system,  who  professed  to  worship  the  great  and  univer- 
sal divine  principle,  in  these  particular  manifestations.  Why  should  the 
higher  manifestation  of  God  in  the  human  soul,  do  homage  to  the  lower 
development  of  the  universal  principle  in  a  reptile?  We  never  find  the 
sacred  writers  making  any  account  of  this  common  subterfuge  and  apo- 
logy for  idolatry.  All  who  bowed  down  before  a  stock  or  stone,  they 
denounced  as  worshipping  gods  which  their  own  hands  had  made,  which 
had  eyes  but  saw  not,  ears  but  heard  not,  and  hands  that  could  not  save. 

The  universal  idolatry  of  the  heathen  world,  committed  under  a  degree 
of  light  which  rendered  it  inexcusable,  is  the  evidence  which  Paul 
adduces  to  prove  that  they  are  "  ungodly,"  and  consequently  exposed  to 
the  wrath  of  God.  In  the  passage  which  follows,  from  v.  24  to  the  end 
of  the  chapter,  he  designs  to  show  that  the  Gentiles  are  not  only  ungodly 
but  unrighteous.     He  traces  their  immorality  to  their  impiety. 

(24)  Wherefore  God  also  gave  them  up  to  uncleanness  through  the  lusts 
of  their  own  hearts,  &c.  They  having  abandoned  God,  he  abandoned 
them.  He  not  only  permitted  them  to  take  their  course,  but  he  judicially, 
that  is,  as  a  punishment,  withdrew  and  withheld  the  restraints  of  his  pro- 


ROMANS  1:  18—38.  37 

vi  Jence  and  Spirit,  and  gave  them  up  to  the  dominion  of  their  own  wicked 
passions.  The  construction  of  this  verse  is  rather  doubtful.  It  may  be 
construed,  as  by  our  translators,  '  he  delivered  them  to  uncleanness 
through  the  lusts  of  their  hearts,'  or  '  he  gave  them  up  to  the  unclean 
lusts  of  their  hearts ;'  the  words  rendered  unto  uncleanness  being  then  made 
to  qualify  the  word  for  lusts  or  desires ;  see  vs.  26,  28,  for  the  same  con- 
struction. To  dishonour  their  own  bodies  betiveen  themselves.  This  infinitive 
to  dishonour  (which  in  the  Greek  has  the  article  in  the  genitive  before  it) 
may  be  simply  explanatory  of  the  word  uncleanness,  '  the  uncleanness  of 
dishonouring  their  bodies,'  i.  e.  which  consisted  therein;  or  it  may  ex- 
press the  object  or  result.  Here,  of  course,  the  latter  view  of  the  passage 
is  to  be  preferred,  '  so  that  they  dishonoured,'  &c.  The  natural  conse- 
quence of  turning  from  God  is  the  destruction  of  all  the  better  governing 
feelings  of  our  nature;  so  that  there  is  nothing  to  restrain  us  from  sink- 
ing into  the  most  degrading  vices.  The  soul,  when  turned  from  God,  is 
turned  from  its  only  proper  object  and  portion,  and  therefore  is  destitute 
of  support  and  restraint.  The  same  sentiment  which  is  expressed  in  this 
and  the  preceding  verses,  is  repeated  in  those  which  immediately  follow. 
(25)  Who  changed  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie,  &c.  '  God  delivered  them 
up,  because  they  were  such  as  those  who  changed.'  The  connexion  between 
this  verse  and  the  preceding  one  is  thus  obvious.  This  verse  may  be 
better  rendered  '  who  exchanged  the  truth  of  God  for  a  lie,'  see  v.  23. 
The  truth  of  God  may  mean  the  true  God ;  and  a  lie,  a  false  god,  which  is 
a  lie,  a  mere  deception.  The  word  is  applied  to  any  thing  which  is  not 
what  it  professes,  or  is  supposed  to  be.  Hence,  false  doctrines  are  called 
a  lie,  2  Thess.  2:11;  and  false  gods,  in  the  Old  Testament,  are  also  so 
called,  compare  Jer.  13  :  25.  Ps.  31  :  6.  The  sense  of  the  passage  would 
then  be,  '  who  exchange  the  true,  for  a  false  god.'  Or  the  passage  may 
mean  'who  exchange  the  truth  concerning  God,  for  a  false  conception  of 
his  character.'  The  general  idea  is,  in  either  case,  the  same.  And  wor- 
ship and  serve  the  creature  more  than  the  Creator.  This  clause  is  an  ampli- 
fication of  the  preceding.  They  exchanged  the  true  God  for  idols,  and 
worshipped  the  creature  rather  than  Creator.  Worship  and  serve ;  the 
former  of  these  words  refers  more  directly  to  the  inward  homage  of  the 
heart,  and  the  latter,  to  the  outward  expression  of  it.  The  word  rendered 
more  than  may  be  rendered  rather  thafi,  '  They  worshipped  the  creature 
instead  of  the  Creator.'  When  the  sacred  writers  speak  of  God  as  neg- 
lected or  insulted  by  men,  they  commonly  add  an  expression  of  reverence 
and  pious  awe,  as  well  to  show  the  wickedness  of  those  who  forsake 
such  a  God,  as  to  relieve  their  own  hearts.  Thus  Paul  renders  clearer  the 
sin  of  those  who  worship  the  creature  rather  than  the  Creator,  by  declar- 
ing him  to  be  worthy  of  all  praise.  Who  is  blessed  for  ever.  Amen. 
Blessed,  i.  e.  worthy  to  be  praised,  or  reverenced.  Amen  is  a  Hebrew 
word,  signifying  true,  and  also  truth.  When  used  adverbially  at  the  be- 
ginning of  a  sentence,  it  expresses  affirmation  or  assurance,  verily :  at  the 
end,  it  expresses  desire  or  approbation,  so  let  it  be,  or  it  is  true.    It  is 

D 


38  ROMANS  1 :  18—32. 

therefore  employed  to  express  assent  to  the  prayers  ofifereJ  by  one  in  tlie 
name  of  others. 

(26)  For  for  this  cause  God  gave  them  up  to  vile  affections^  &c.  This 
verse  repeats,  in  a  more  definite  form,  the  idea  of  v.  24.  The  reasons 
why  Paul  refers  in  the  first  instance  to  the  sins  of  uncleanness,  in  illus- 
tration and  proof  of  tlTe  degradation  of  the  heathen,  probably  are,  1. 
That  these  sins  are  always  intimately  connected  with  idolatry,  forming 
often  even  a  part  of  the  worship  rendered  to  the  false  gods ;  2.  That  in 
turning-  from  the  pleasures  of  holiness,  or  intercourse  with  God,  men 
naturally  turn  to  the  pleasures  of  sense ;  3.  That  these  sins  are  pecu- 
liarly brutalizing,  leading  sooner  to  the  destruction  of  all  elevated  feel- 
ing, and  especially  of  all  sense  of  divine  things,  than  almost  any  other; 
4.  That  they  were  the  most  notorious,  prevalent,  and  openly  acknowledged 
and  defended  of  all  the  crimes  of  the  heathen.  As  men  degraded  God, 
they  also  degraded  themselves  below  the  level  of  the  beasts,  by  their 
devotion  to  worse  than  brutal  passions.* 

(27)  This  corruption  of  morals  was  confined,  to  no  one  class  or  sex. 
Paul  first  refers  to  the  degradation  of  females  among  the  heathen,  be- 
cause they  are  always  the  last  to  be  affected  in  the  decay  of  morals ; 
and,  therefore,  when  they  are  abandoned,  the  very  fountains  of  purity 
are  corrupted.  It  is  unnecessary  to  say  more  than  that  virtue  has  lost 
its  hold  on  the  female  sex,  in  any  community,  to  produce  the  conviction 
that  it  has  already  reached  the  lowest  point  of  degradation. 

Paul  again  presents  the  idea  that  this  deep  depravity  of  the  heathen  was 
the  consequence  and  punishment  of  their  abandonment  of  God.  Receiving 
in  themselves  that  recompense  of  their  error  which  was  meet.  Error  means 
aberration,  a  wandering  from  God,  or  truth,  or  virtue.  Hence  the  word 
is  used  for  apostasy,  Ezek.  33 :  10,  and  perhaps  2  Pet.  2:18;  for  deceit, 
and  also  wickedness  generally,  James  5:  20.  Jude  11.  Here,  from  the 
context,  the  first  meaning  appears  to  be  the  best.  It  was  wandering 
from  God  which  brought  them  to  such  degradation.  "  Them  that 
honour  me  I  will  honour,  and  they  that  despise  me  shall  be  lightly 
esteemed,"  1  Sam.  2:  30.  According  to  another  interpretation,  the  error 
here  intended  is  the  commission  of  the  unnatural  crimes  just  spoken  of; 
and  the  recompense  the  natural  evils  consequent  upon  them.  This  also 
gives  a  good  sense,  but  not  so  consistent  with  the  drift  of  the  whole  pas- 
sage. 

(23)  And  even  as  they  did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge,  God 
gave  them  over  to  a  reprobate  mind,  &c.  Another  repetition  of  the  senti- 
ment of  vs.  21,  26,  that  those  who  abandon  God,  he  also  abandons.  To 
have  in  knowledge  is  a  stronger  expression  than  to  know.  '  They  did  not 
deem  it  worth  while  to  retain  the  knowledge  of  God.'     The  ground  form 

*  How  common  the  crimes  mentioned  in  this  and  the  following  verse  were,  may 
be  inferred  from  the  declaration  of  Martial,  that  no  one  was  so  timidly  modest  as  to 
fear  being  detected  in  their  commission.    See  Grotius  on  v.  27. 


ROMANS  1:  18—32.  39 

of  the  verb  rendered  they  did  not  like  means,  1.  To  test  or  prove  ;  2.  To 
approve,  to  jxidge  worthy,  1  Cor.  16:  3,  "whom  ye  shall  approve;"  3. 
7'y  discern  or  decide  upon.  The  second  signification  seems  best  suited  to 
this  passage.  '  They  did  not  think  it  of  any  account  to  retain  the  know- 
ledge of  the  true  God.' 

Reprobate  mind.  The  word  for  reprobate  is  derived  from  the  same  root 
with  the  verb  just  spoken  of.  There  is,  therefore,  a  correspondence 
between  the  terms  which  is  not  preserved  in  our  version.  'As  they  did 
not  approve  of  God,  he  gave  them  up  to  a  mind  which  no  one  could  ap- 
prove.' The  word  literally  means  that  which  cannot  bear  the  test ,-  see 
1  Cor.  9  :  27.  2  Cor.  13  :  5—7.  It  is  applied,  therefore,  to  any  thing 
v/hich  is  actually  rejected,  or  is  worthy  of  universal  disapprobation. 
This  is  its  meaning  generally,  if  not  universally,  in  common  Greek,  as 
well  as  in  the  New  Testament. 

To  do  those  things  which  are  not  convenient.  This  is  the  consequence 
of  the  dereliction  just  spoken  of,  and  the  natural  fruit  of  a  reprobate 
mind.  Things  not  convenient  are  things  which  are  not  becoming  the  na- 
ture or  duties  of  man.  They  include  all  the  crimes  enumerated  in  the 
following  verses. 

(29 — 31)  Being  filled  with  all  unrighteousness,  fornication,  wickedness, 
&c.  These  and  other  crimes  were  not  of  rare  occurrence.  The  heathen 
were  filled  with  them.  They  not  only  abounded,  but  in  many  cases  were 
palliated,  and  even  justified.  To  their  existence  and  prevalence,  there- 
fore, Paul  appeals  as  to  a  notorious  fact.  Dark  as  the  picture  here 
drawn  is  of  the  morals  of  the  heathen  world,  it  is  not  so  dark  as  that 
drawn  by  the  most  distinguished  Greek  and  Latin  authors  of  their  re- 
spective countrymen.  On  the  two  preceding  verses,  and  on  every  word 
in  those  which  follow  to  v.  32,  Wetstein  and  Grotius  quote  even  ad  nau- 
seam from  ancient  writers,  passages  which  more  than  bear  out  the  dread- 
ful charges  of  the  apostle.  See  also  Leland's  Work  on  the  Necessity 
for  a  Divine  Revelation,  and  Tholuck's  Dissertation  on  the  Morals  of  the 
Heathen,  &c.,  translated  for  the  Biblical  Repository,  Vol.  II.  What 
Paul  says  of  the  ancient  heathen  is  found  to  be  true,  in  all  its  essential 
features,  of  those  of  our  own  day.  It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  the  mis- 
sionaries in  the  East  Indies  have  frequently  been  accused  by  the  heathen 
of  having  forged  the  whole  of  the  latter  part  of  this  chapter.  They  can- 
not believe  that  such  an  accurate  description  of  themselves  could  have 
been  written  eighteen  centuries  ago.  W^herever  men  have  existed  there 
have  they  manifested  themselves  to  be  sinners,  ungodly,  and  unright- 
eous, and  consequently  justly  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God. 

(32)  Who  knowing  the  judgment  of  God,  that  they  which  commit  such 
things  are  worthy  of  death,  not  only  do  the  same,  but  have  pleasure  in  them 
that  do  them.  As  Paul  had  before  showed  that  the  impiety  of  the  lieathen 
is  inexcusable,  inasmuch  as  they  have  a  knowledge  of  God,  so  he  here 
shows  that  their  immorality  is  equally  without  defence.  These  crimes 
are  not  committed  ignorantly.     They  know  the  judgment  of  God.     The 


40  ROMANS  1:  18—32. 

word  rendered  judgment^  as  well  as  the  corresponding  Hebrew  term,  is 
used  in  a  very  wide  sense  in  the  Scriptures,  for  any  thing  which  God  has 
ordained  or  commanded  ;  as  in  the  frequent  phrase,  "  thy  judgments,"  in 
the  Old  Testament.  Hence  it  includes  the  law  of  God.  This  is  its 
meaning  here,  *  they  know  the  law  of  God — what  he  has  commanded  ;' 
see  Luke  1  :  6.  Rom.  2  :  26.  They  are  acquainted  not  only  with  the 
precept,  but  the  sanction  of  this  law ;  they  know  not  only  that  these 
crimes  are  forbidden,  but  that  those  who  do  them  are  worthy  of  death. 
Death  here,  as  often  elsewhere,  means  the  penalty  of  the  law,  all  those 
evils  by  which  sin  is  punished,  Rom.  6 :  23.  The  idea,  therefore,  is, 
that  the  heathen  know  that  they  deserve  punishment  for  their  crimes ; 
in  other  words,  that  they  are  justly  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God.  How 
they  know  this,  Paul  does  not  here  say,  but  explains  in  the  next  chap. 
V.  14.  It  was  a  knowledge  written  upon  their  hearts,  or  included  in  the 
very  constitution  of  their  nature ;  it  was  implied  in  their  being  moral 
beings.  The  crimes  of  the  heathen  were  not  only  aggravated  by  being 
committed  against  a  knowledge  of  their  turpitude  and  ill  desert,  but  also 
by  their  being  deliberate.  They  did  not  commit  such  offences  in  the 
heat  of  passion  merely,  but  they  took  pleasure  in  those  who  did  them. 
They  were  of  set  purpose  and  fixed  preference,  wicked  ;  and  the  promo- 
ters of  all  iniquity.  Such  is  Paul's  argument  to  prove  that  the  Gentiles 
are  all  under  sin,  are  justly  chargeable  with  impiety  and  immorality,  and 
consequently  exposed  to  the  divine  displeasure. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  The  punitive  justice  of  God  is  an  essential  attribute  of  his  nature. 
This  attribute  renders  the  punishment  of  sin  necess.ary,  and  is  the  foun- 
dation of  the  need  of  a  vicarious  atonement,  in  order  to  the  pardon  of  sin- 
ners. This  doctrine  the  apostle  assumes  as  a  first  principle,  and  makes 
the  basis  of  his  whole  exposition  of  the  doctrine  of  justification,  v.  18. 

2.  That  sin  is  a  proper  object  of  punishment,  and  that,  under  the  right- 
eous government  of  God,  it  shall  be  punished,  are  moral  axioms,  which 
have  '  a  self-evidencing  light,'  whenever  proposed  to  the  moral  sense  of 
men,  vs.  18,  32. 

3.  God  has  never  left  himself  without  a  witness  among  his  rational 
creatures.  Both  in  reference  to  his  own  nature  and  to  the  rule  of  duty, 
he  has,  in  his  works  and  in  the  human  heart,  given  sufficient  light  to 
render  the  impiety  and  immorality  of  men  inexcusable,  vs.  19,  20,  32. 

4.  Natural  religion  is  not  a  sufficient  guide  to  salvation.  What  indi- 
vidual or  what  nation  has  it  ever  led  to  right  views  of  God  or  of  his 
law?  The  experience  of  the  whole  world,  under  all  the  variety  of  cir- 
cumstances in  which  men  have  existed,  proves  its  insufficiency,  and  con- 
sequently the  necessity  of  a  special  divine  revelation,  vs.  21 — 23. 

5.  The  heathen,  who  have  only  the  revelation  of  God  in  his  works  and 
in  tlieir  own  hearts,  aided  by  the  obscure  traditionary  knowledge  which 


ROMANS  1  :  18—32.  41 

has  come  down  to  them,  need  the  gospel.     In  point  of  fact,  the  light 
which  they  enjoy  does  not  lead  them  to  God  and  holiness,  vs.  21 — 23. 

6.  Error  (on  moral  and  religious  subjects)  has  its  root  in  depravity. 
Men  are  ignorant  of  God  and  duty,  because  they  do  not  like  to  retain  him 
in  their  knowledge,  vs.  21,  28. 

7.  God  often  punishes  one  sin  by  abandoning  the  sinner  to  the  com- 
mission of  others.  Paul  repeats  this  idea  three  times,  vs.  24,  26,  28. 
This  judicial  abandonment  is  consistent  with  the  holiness  of  God,  and 
the  free  agency  of  man.  God  does  not  impel  or  entice  to  evil.  He 
ceases  to  restrain.      He  says  of  the  sinner.  Let  him  alone,  vs.  24 — 28. 

8.  Religion  is  the  only  true  foundation,  and  the  only  effectual  safe- 
guard of  morality.  Those  who  abandon  God,  he  abandons.  Irreligion 
and  immorality,  therefore,  have  ever  been  found  inseparably  connected, 
vs.  24—28. 

9.  It  evinces,  in  general,  greater  depravity  to  encourage  others  in  the 
commission  of  crimes,  and  to  rejoice  in  their  commission,  than  to  commit 
them  one's  self,  v.  32. 

10.  The  most  reprobate  sinner  carries  about  with  him  a  knowledge  of 
his  just  exposure  to  the  wrath  of  God.  Conscience  can  never  be  entirely 
extirpated,  v.  32. 

REMARKS. 

1.  It  lies  in  the  very  nature  of  sin,  that  it  should  be  inexcusable,  and 
worthy  of  punishment.  Instead,  therefore,  of  palliating  its  enormity,  we 
should  endeavour  to  escape  from  its  penalty,  vs.  13,  32. 

2.  As  the  works  of  God  reveal  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead,  we 
should  accustom  ourselves  to  see  in  them  the  manifestations  of  his  per- 
fectiuns,  vs.  18 — 21. 

3.  The  human  intellect  is  as  erring  as  the  human  heart.  We  can  no 
more  find  truth  than  holiness  when  estranged  from  God ;  even  as  we 
lose  both  light  and  heat  when  we  depart  from  the  sun.  Those,  in  every 
age,  have  sunk  deepest  into  folly,  who  have  relied  most  on  their  own 
understandings.    '  In  thy  light  only,  O  God,  can  we  see  light,'  v.  21,  &c. 

4.  If  the  sins  of  the  heathen,  committed  under  the  feeble  liglit  of 
nature,  are  inexcusable,  how  great  must  be  the  aggravation  of  those  com 
mitted  under  the  light  of  the  Scriptures  !  v.  20. 

5.  As  the  light  of  nature  is  insufficient  to  lead  the  heathen  to  God  and 
holiness,  it  is  one  of  the  most  obvious  and  urgent  of  duties  to  send  them 
the  light  of  the  Bible,  v.  20—23. 

6.  Men  should  remember  that  their  security  from  open  and  gross  sins 
is  not  in  themselves,  but  in  God ;  and  they  should  regard  as  the  worst 
of  punishments,  his  withdrawing  from  them  his  Holy  Spirit,  v. 
24—28. 

7.  Sins  of  uncleanness  are  peculiarly  debasing  and  demoralizing.  To 
be  preserved  from  them  is  mentioned  in  Scripture  as  a  mark  of  the  divine 

d2 


42  ROMANS  2  :  1—16. 

favour,  Eccl.  7 :  26.  Prov.  22  :  14 ;  to  be  abandoned  to  them,  as  the  marft 
of  reprobation. 

8.  To  take  pleasure  in  those  who  do  good  makes  us  better,  as  to  de- 
light in  those  who  do  evil  is  the  surest  way  to  become  even  more  degraded 
than  they  are  themselves,  v.  32 


CHAPTER  II. 


CONTENTS. 


The  object  of  this  chapter  is  to  establish  the  same  charges  against  the 
Jews,  which  had  just  been  proved  against  the  Gentiles,  and  to  show  that 
they  also  were  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God.  It  consists  of  three  parts. 
The  first  contains  an  exhibition  of  those  simple  principles  of  justice  upon 
which  all  men  are  to  be  judged,  vs.  1 — 16.  The  second  is  an  applica- 
tion of  these  principles  to  the  case  of  the  Jews,  vs.  17 — 24.  The  third 
is  an  exhibition  of  the  true  nature  and  design  of  circumcision,  intended  to 
show  that  the  Jews  could  not  expect  exemption  on  the  ground  of  that 
rite,  vs.  25—29. 

CHAP.  2:  1—16. 

^Therefore  thou  art  inexcusable,  0  man,  whosoever  thou  art  that  judg- 
est ;  for  wherein  thou  judgest  another,  thou  condemnest  thyself;  for  thou 
that  judgest  doest  the  same  things.  '^But  we  are  sure  that  the  judgment 
of  God  is  according  to  truth  against  them  which  commit  such  things. 
^And  thinkest  thou  this,  0  man,  that  judgest  them  which  do  such  things, 
and  doest  the  same,  that  thou  shalt  escape  the  judgment  of  God  1  *0r 
despisest  thou  the  riches  of  his  goodness  and  forbearance  and  long-suflfer- 
ing ;  not  knowing  that  the  goodness  of  God  leadeth  thee  to  repentance  ? 
*But  after  thy  hardness  and  impenitent  heart  treasurest  up  unto  thyself 
wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath  and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment 
of  God  ;  ^who  will  render  to  every  man  according  to  his  deeds  :  "to  them 
who  by  patient  continuance  in  well  doing  seek  for  glory  and  honoffr  and 
immortality,  eternal  life :  ^but  unto  them  that  are  contentious,  and  do  not 
obey  the  truth,  but  obey  unrighteousness,  indignation  and  wrath,  ^tribu- 
lation  and  anguish,  upon  every  soul  of  man  that  doelh  evil,  of  the  Jew 
first,  and  also  of  the  Gentile  ;  *°but  glory,  honour,  and  peace,  to  every 
man  that  worketh  good,  to  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Gentile :  *^for 
there  is  no  respect  of  persons  with  God.  ^^por  as  many  as  have  sinned 
without  law  shall  also  perish  without  law  :  and  as  many  as  have  sinned 
in  the  law  shall  be  judged  by  the  law;  ^^(for  not  the  hearers  of  the  law 
are  just  before  God,  but  the  doers  of  the  law  shall  be  justified.  **For 
when  the  Gentiles,  which  have  not  the  law,  do  by  nature  th«  things  con- 


ROMANS  2  :  1—16.  4^ 

tained  in  the  law,  these,  having  not  the  law,  are  a  law  unto  themselves : 
•'^which  show  the  work  of  the  law  written  in  their  hearts,  their  conscience 
also  bearing  witness,  and  their  thoughts  the  mean  while  accusing  or  else 
excusing  one  another;)  ^^in  the  day  when  God  shall  judge  the  secrets  of 
men  by  Jesus  Christ  according  to  my  gospel. 

ANALYSIS. 

That  men  so  impious  and  immoral,  as  those  described  in  the  preceding 
chapter,  deserved  the  divine  displeasure,  and  could  never,  by  their  own 
works,  secure  the  favour  of  God,  the  Jew  was  prepared  readily  to  admit. 
But  might  there  not  be  a  set  of  men,  who,  in  virtue  of  some  promise  on 
the  part  of  God,  or  of  the  performance  of  some  special  duties,  could  claim 
exemption  from  the  execution  of  God's  purpose  to  punish  all  sin  1  To 
determine  this  point,  it  was  necessary  to  consider  a  little  more  fully  the 
justice  of  God,  in  order  to  see  whether  it  admitted  of  impunity  to  sinners 
on  the  ground  supposed.  The  first  section  of  this  chapter,  therefore,  is 
employed  in  expanding  the  principle  of  v.  18  of  the  first  chapter.  It 
contains  a  development  of  those  principles  of  justice  which  commend 
themselves  at  once  to  every  man's  conscience.  The  first  is,  that  he  who 
condemns  in  others  what  he  does  himself,  does  thereby  condemn  himself, 
v.  1.  The  second,  that  God's  judgments  are  according  to  the  truth  or 
real  state  of  the  case,  v.  2.  The  third,  that  the  special  goodness  of  God, 
manifested  towards  any  individual  or  people,  forms  no  ground  of  exemp- 
tion from  merited  punishment,  but  being  designed  to  lead  them  to  repent- 
ance, when  misimproved  aggravates  their  condemnation,  vs.  3 — 5.  The 
fourth,  that  the  ground  of  judgment  are  the  works,  not  the  external  rela- 
tions or  professions  of  men  ;  God  will  punish  the  wicked  and  reward  the 
good,  whether  Jew  or  Gentile,  without  the  least  respect  of  persons,  vs. 
6 — 11.  The  fifth,  that  the  standard  of  judgment  is  the  light  which  men 
have  severally  enjoyed.  Those  having  a  written  law  shall  be  judged  by 
it,  and  those  who  have  only  the  law  written  on  their  hearts  (and  that  the 
heathen  have  such  a  law  is  proved  by  the  operations  of  conscience,  vs. 
13 — 15)  shall  be  judged  by  that  law,  v.  12.  These  are  the  principles 
according  to  which  all  men  are  to  be  judged  in  the  last  day  by  Jesus 
Christ,  v.  16. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1)  Therefore  thou  art  inexcusable,  0  man,  whosoever  thou  art  that  judg' 
est,  &c.  In  order  to  feel  the  force  of  the  apostle's  reasoning,  it  should  be 
remembered  that  the  principal  ground  on  which  the  Jews  expected  accept- 
ance with  God,  was  the  covenant  of  God  with  Abraham,  in  which  he 
promised  to  be  a  God  to  him  and  his  seed  after  him.  This  promise  they 
understood  as  securing  the  salvation  of  all  those  who  retained  their  rela- 
tion to  Abraham,  by  the  observance  of  the  law,  and  the  rite  of  circumci- 
sion. They  expected,  therefore,  to  be  treated  as  the  favourites  of  God, 
and  viewed,  not  so  much  in  their  own  personal  character,  as  in  their  rela- 


44  ROMANS  2:  1—16. 

tion  to  their  great  progenitor.  We  cannot  sufficiently  admire  the  skill 
with  which  Paul  conducts  his  argument  against  this  ground  of  confidence. 
He  does  not  even  name  the  Jew,  and  say,  'Therefore,  O  Jew,  thou  art 
inexcusable,'  &c.  He  begins  at  such  a  distance,  that  the  prejudices  of  his 
readers  are  not  at  all  aroused.  He  states  his  principles  so  generally  and 
so  simply,  that  they  must  have  forced,  the  assent  of  the  Jew,  before  he 
was  at  all  aware  of  their  application  to  himself.  They  are  indeed  self- 
evident,  and  yet,  when  admitted  and  applied,  are  found  to  be  destructive 
of  the  very  foundation  on  which  the  children  of  Abraham  expected  to 
inherit  his  blessing. 

The  connexion,  indicated  by  the  word  therefore  between  this  and  the 
preceding  chapter,  is  not  very  obvious.  It  may  be  explained  thus:  in 
V.  32,  ch.  1,  it  is  stated,  that  those  who  commit  sin  are  conscious  of  its  ill- 
desert;  those,  therefore,  who  condemn  it,  acknowledge  still  more  clearly 
its  desert  of  punishment,  and,  of  consequence,  condemn  themselves,  if 
they  are  chargeable  with  it;  or  to  state  the  same  view  in  a  rather  differ- 
ent form,  '  Those  who  commit  sin  are  worthy  of  death,  much  more  those 
who  encourage  and  delight  in  its  commission,  v.  32  ;  and  still  more  obvi- 
ously than  either,  he  who,  while  he  condemns  others,  himself  commits 
the  same  offence.' 

Whosoever  thou  art  that  jiidgest.  That  the  Jew  is  intended  in  this,  and 
the  following  verses,  is  evident,  from  the  drift  of  the  argument,  from  his 
being  expressly  named  in  vs.  9,  10,  and  from  the  direct  application  of  the 
argument  to  him  in  v.  17,  and  onward.  It  was,  no  doubt,  with  design, 
that  the  apostle  made  the  address  thus  general  in  the  first  instance.  The 
principle  stated  in  the  verse  is  true  in  relation  to  all  men.  The  word 
rendered  to  judge  means  frequently  to  condemn^  see  v.  12.  Acts  7 :  7. 
2  Thess.  2  :  12,  &c.,  and  may  be  so  rendered  here,  '  Thou  art  inexcusa- 
ble whosoever  thou  art  that  condemnest,  for  wherein  thou  condemnest 
another,  thou  condemnest  thyself,  for  thou  that  condemnest  doest  the 
same  things.'  The  apostle  wished  to  show  that  the  ready  sanction,  which 
the  Jew  gave  to  the  condemnation  of  the  Gentile,  involved  the  condemna- 
tion of  himself,  inasmuch  as  Jew  and  Gentile  were  to  be  judged  by  the 
same  general  principles. 

The  words  rendered  in  that  may  mean  because  that,  see  ch.  8:3;  or,  in 
that,  eo  ipso,  in  the  very  act  of  condemning  another,  thou  condemnest 
thyself.  The  reason  for  this  declaration  follows,  '  Because  thou  that 
condemnest  doest  the  same  things.'  The  ground  of  condemnation  is  the 
thing  done,  not  the  person  of  the  agent.     This  is  the  first  principle. 

(2)  But  we  are  sure  that  the  judgment  of  God  is  according  to  truth, 
against  them  which  commit  such  things.  The  most  probable  interpreta- 
tion of  this  verse  is  the  following  :  '  However  perverse  your  judgments 
are  in  condemning  others,  while  you  excuse  yourself,  we  know  that  God'3 
judgments  are  not  thus  partial.  His  decisions  are  according  to  the  truth, 
are  correct  and  just,  and  according  to  the  real  state  of  the  case,  and  not 
the  external  circumstances  or  relations  of  those  concerned ;'  see  v.  11. 


ROMANS  2  :  1—16.  45 

John  8  :  15,  16,  "  Ye  judge  after  the  flesh ;  my  judgment  is  true."  The 
connexion  between  this  and  the  previous  verse  is  thus  obvious,  '  Ye 
judge  one  vi^ay,  but  God  judgeth  another.'  The  word  rendered  judgment 
often  means  condemnation;  ch.  3:  8,  "  whose  condemnation  is  just;" 
1  Cor.  11  :  29^34,  and  frequently  elsewhere.  Its  more  general  sense  of 
judicial  decision  is  more  suitable,  however,  to  this  verse.  This  is  the 
second  principle.  God's  judgment  is  according  to  the  truth,  impartial, 
and  founded  upon  the  real  character  and  conduct  of  men. 

(3)  .^nd  thinkest  thou  this,  Oman,  that  judgest  them  which  do  such  things, 
&c.  '  If  God's  judgments  are  impartial  and  just,  how  can  those  escape 
who  commit  the  very  things  which  they  condemn  in  others'?'  Paul's 
language  includes  the  idea  also,  that  if  these  things  are  condemned  by 
men,  how  much  more  by  a  righteous  God.  The  former,  however,  is  the 
main  point.  It  is  preposterous  to  suppose  that  God  will  spare  those  who 
do  what  they  are  so  ready  to  condemn  others  for  doing. 

(4,  5)  Or  despisest  thou  the  riches  of  his  goodness  and  forbearance,  &c. 
Paul  refers  in  this  and  the  following  verse  to  the  common  ground  of  se- 
curity of  the  Jews.  They  were  God's  peculiar  people  ;  his  goodness 
towards  them  proved  that  he  would  not  deal  with  them  as  with  others. 
That  the  Jews  really  entertained  this  opinion  is  evident,  in  the  first 
place,  from  the  apostle's  argument  here  and  in  the  next  chapter,  and  in 
other  parts  of  his  writings,  see  ch.  9  and  11 ;  from  such  expressions  as 
those  in  Matt.  3:9,"  Think  not  to  say,  we  have  Abraham  for  our  fa- 
ther," John  8  :  33  ;  and  from  numerous  declarations  of  the  Jewish  writers 
themselves  on  this  subject. 

The  connexion  is  distinctly  marked  by  the  particje  or,-  '  Or  admitting 
the  general  principle,  that  those,  who  do  what  they  condemn  in  others,  are 
themselves  exposed  to  condemnation  :  do  you  so  abuse  the  divine  go5d- 
ness,  as  to  suppose  it  will  afford  impunity  in  sin,  when  its  real  design  is 
to  lead  you  to  repentance?'  Those  despise  the  goodness  of  God  who 
pervert  it,  and  derive  from  it  a  license  to  sin,  supposing  either  that  God 
will  never  punish,  because  he  long  delays,  or  that  his  goodness  towards 
us  is  so  peculiar  that  we  shall  escape,  though  others  perish;  see  2 Pet. 
3  :  8,  9.  The  use  of  the  several  terms,  goodness,  forbearance,  and  long- 
suffering,  serves  to  express  more  strongly  the  idea  of  the  divine  mercy. 
The  word  rendered  riches  is  a  favourite  term  with  the  sacred  writers,  to 
express  the  idea  of  abundance  or  greatness,  2  Cor.  8  :  2.  Eph.  1  :  7.  2  : 
7,  &c.  The  word  for  goodness  is  a  general  term,  expressive  of  mildness 
and  kindness  ;  that  rendered  forbearance  signifies  patience  under  suffering, 
and  also  under  provocation.  It  is  used  also  for  a  truce  or  respite,  1  Mace. 
12  :  25.  It  expresses  here  God's  long  delay  of  punishment.  Long-suffer- 
ing, slowness  to  anger.  Not  knowing,  i.  e.  not  regarding  or  considering 
*that  the  goodness  of  God  leadeth  thee  to  repentance,'  i.  e.  is  designed 
and  adapted  to  produce  this  effect. 

(5)  But,  after  thy  hardness  and  impenitent  heart,  treasurestup  unto  thy- 
self wrath^  &c.    The  mercies  and  advantages  of  the  Jews,  and  the  pecu- 


46  ROMANS  2:  1—16. 

liar  forbearance  of  God  toward  them,  so  far  from  being-  an  evidence  that 
God  would  ultimately  spare  them,  would,  by  being  abused,  greatly  ag- 
gravate their  condemnation.  '■'■After  thy  hardness,"  &c.  i.  e.  '■through, 
or  on  account  of  thy  hard  and  impenitent  heart;'  see  Eph.  1  :  5,  7.  3:3, 
&c.  The  word  rendered  to  treasure  is  used  not  only  in  reference  to  the 
hoarding  up  of  things  which  are  considered  valuable,  but  also  in  the  sense 
of  accumulating  or  increasing  one's  stock  of  any  thing  good  or  bad  ;  see 
Amos  3:  10.  '■'■  Treasurest  up  unto  thyself  wrath  against  the  day  of 
wrath ;"  literally  in  the  day,  i.  e.  upon  the  day  ;  '  wrath  on  that  day  of 
wrath;'  see  v.  16.  The  abuse  of  God's  mercies  will  cause  an  accumu- 
lation of  the  grounds  of  punishment  on  the  day  of  judgment.  This  day 
is  often  called  the  day  of  wrath  ;  the  day  of  vengeance,  because  then  shall 
the  wrath  of  God  be  most  conspicuously  displayed.  "That  day  is  a  day 
of  wrath,  a  day  of  trouble  and  distress,  a  day  of  wasteness  and  desolation, 
a  day  of  darkness  and  gloominess,  a  day  of  clouds  and  thick  darkness," 
Zeph.  1 :  15.  This  is  the  day  on  which  God's  displeasure  against  all 
"  ungodliness  and  unrighteousness,"  by  whomsoever  committed,  shall  be 
most  signally  displayed;  and  when  God's  righteous  judgment,  and  the 
fact  that  it  is  righteous,  shall  be  most  clearly  revealed.  These  verses, 
therefore,  contain  a  third  important  principle  laid  down  by  the  apostle. 
The  goodness  of  God  can  never  secure  impunity  to  sinners  ;  and  its  abuse 
will  be  sure  to  aggravate  their  guilt  and  punishment. 

(6)  Who  will  render  to  every  man  according  to  his  deeds.  In  this  and 
the  following  verses,  to  the  11th,  the  important  truth  is  taught,  that  the 
ground  of  the  judgment  of  God  is  the  works  of  men,  not  their  relations  or 
professions.  Stress  must  be  laid  upon  both  members  of  the  verse  ;  God 
will  render  to  every  one,  Jew  as  well  as  Gentile,  according  to  his  works, 
in  opposition  to  any  other  ground  of  judgment. 

(7)  To  them,  who,  by  patient  continuance  in  well  doing,  seek  for  glory 
and  honour  and  immortality,  eternal  life.  The  principle  which  is  stated 
generally  in  the  preceding  verse  is  applied  to  the  two  great  classes  of 
men  in  this  and  the  one  following.  *  God  will  render  to  every  man 
according  to  his  deeds;  to  the  good  he  will  render  life;  to  the  wicked 
tribulation  and  anguish.'  This  verse  contains  the  description  of  the  cha- 
racter and  reward  of  the  righteous.  They  are  those  whose  affections  and 
objects  of  pursuit  are  in  heaven,  "who  seek  glory  and  honour  and  im- 
mortality;"  and  who  seek  these  things  'by  well  doing,'  by  the  perse- 
vering performance  of  all  duty.  To  such,  God  will  render  eternal  life. 
It  is  not  to  the  Jew  as  Jew,  nor  to  Gentile  as  the  Gentile,  any  more  than  it 
is  to  the  Catholic,  the  Episcopalian,  or  the  Presbyterian,  as  such,  but 
to  the  good  as  good,  whether  belonging  to  one  class  or  the  other,  that 
eternal  life  is  to  be  awarded. 

The  word  rendered  patient  continuance  means  often  patience  under 
afflictions,  and  also  constancy,  perseverance.  Luke  8:  15,  "who  bring 
forth  fruit  with  constancy ;"  see  1  Thess.  1  :  3,  the  phrase  "  constancy 
of  hope,"  for  perseverance  in  hope  ;  so  in  this  verse  "  constancy  of  good 


ROMANS  2:  1— IG.  '        47 

works"  means  constancy  in  the  performance  of  good  works  ;  which  is 
the  meaning  which  our  translation  so  well  expresses.  Glory,  honour^ 
and  immortality,  i.  e.  a  glorious  and  honourable  immortality,  though  the 
idea  is  much  more  forcibly  expressed  by  the  words  as  they  stand  in  our 
version. 

(8)  But  unto  them  that  are  contentious,  and  do  not  obey  the  truth,  but 
obey  unrighteousness,  indignation  and  wrath.  Here  the  apostle  describes 
the  character  and  reward  of  the  wicked.  They  are  contentious  and  dis- 
obedient ;  and  their  recompense  is  indignation  and  wrath.  The  sense  of 
this  verse  is  perfectly  plain,  although  the  construction  in  the  original  is 
not  quite  regular.  The  sentence,  as  connected  with  the  preceding,  would 
naturally  be  construed  thus,  'But  to  the  contentious  (God  will  render) 
indignation  and  wrath.'  As  it  stands  it  must  be  translated,  '  to  the  con- 
tentious indignation  and  wrath  shall  be  rendered ;'  which  mode  of  con- 
struction is  continued  through  the  following  verse.  The  phrase  rendered 
thosf  who  are  contentious,  literally  is  those  ivho  are  of  contention ,-  as 
'  those  who  are  of  faith'  means  believers  ;  '  those  who  are  of  circumci- 
sion,' the  circumcised,  Acts  10:  45.  Gal.  3:  7.  Tit.  2:8;  see  Phil.  1 : 
16,  17.  The  word  for  contention,  and  the  corresponding  verb,  are  used 
frequently  in  reference  specially  to  contending  with  any  one  in  the  sense 
of  resisting  his  authority.  1  Sam.  12:  14,  15,  "and  not  rebel  (Greek 
contend^  against  the  commandment  of  the  Lord  ;"  Deut.  21  :  20,  "  this 
our  son  is  stubborn  and  rebellious  (contentious),  he  will  not  obey  our 
voice."  So,  in  this  case,  the  contentious  are  the  rebellious;  those  who 
do  not  obey  God  or  the  truth.  The  truth,  i.  e.  true  religion,  the  true 
standard  of  moral  and  religious  duty  ;  see  ch.  1  :  18.  But  obey  unright- 
eousness. Instead  of  obeying  truth  and  holiness,  they  yield  obedience  to 
sin ;  unrighteousness  being  obviously  taken  in  a  wide  sense  for  all  that 
is  morally  wrong.  Indignation  and  wrath,  i.  e.  the  greatest  wrath.  The 
former  of  the  Greek  words  here  used  expresses  sudden  or  temporary  pas- 
sion, and  the  latter  more  permanent  anger ;  or  the  former  refers  to  the 
internal  emotion,  the  latter  to  the  outward  expression  of  it.  The  words 
are  here  to  be  understood  metonymically  for  the  effects  of  indignation 
and  wrath,  that  is,  severe  punishment.  And  this  is  explained  in  the  next 
verse. 

(9)  Tribulation  and  anguish  upon^every  soul  of  man  that  doeth  evil,  &c. 
Intensity,  as  is  ol^vious,  is  expressed  by  the  use  of  these  nearly  synony-^ 
mous  words,  tribulation  and  anguish.  Every  soul  of  man  is  a  common 
biblical  expression.  The  Greek  and  Hebrew  words  for  soul  are  fami 
liarly  used  for  person;  'Let  every  soul,'  i.  e.  every  'person,'  ch.  13  :  1. 
To  the  Jew  first  and  also  the  Gentile.  It  becomes  now  apparent  that  the 
apostle,  in  laying  down  these  general  principles  of  justice,  by  which  the 
dealings  of  God  are  to  be  regulated,  had  the  Jew  specially  in  view. 
God,  he  says,  will  render  to  every  man  according  to  his  works  ;  to  the 
good  eternal  life,  to  the  evil  tribulation  and  anguish.  And  lest  the  every 
man  should  fail  to  arrest  attention,  Paul  says  expressly  that  the  Jew  as 


48  ROMANS  2:  1—lG. 

well  as  the  Gentile  is  thus  to  be  judged.  The  word  first,  here,  may  ex- 
press either  order  or  pre-eminence.  According  to  the  former  view  the 
meaning  is,  '  This  judgment  shall  begin  with  the  Jew,  and  be  extended 
to  the  Gentiles;'  see  ch.  1 :  16;  according  to  the  other,  'The  Jew  shall 
not  only  be  punished  as  well  as  others,  but,  having  been  more  highly 
favoured,  his  punishment  shall  be  more  severe.'  In  like  manner,  ijf  the 
Jew  is  faithful,  his  reward  will  be  the  greater,  as  is  intimated  in  the  next 
verse.  "  The  Jew  first"  is,  therefore,  equivalent  to  '  the  Jew  espe- 
cially.' As  both  ideas  are  correct,  both  may  have  been  intended  by  the 
apostle. 

(10)  But  glory,  honour,  and  peace  to  every  man  that  worketh  good,  to  the 
Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Gentile.  This  verse  is  the  converse  of  the  pre- 
ceding. These  verses  state  that,  with  regard  to  all  men,  the  judgment 
of  God  is  determined  by  their  works.  This  is  the  ground  of  decision 
with  respect  to  all,  because  God  is  perfectly  impartial. 

(11)  For  there  is  no  respect  of  persons  with  God.  The  word  rendered 
respect  of  persons,  and  its  cognates.  Acts  10:  34.  James  2:  9,  are  pecu- 
liar to  the  Hellenistic  or  Jewish  Greek.  They  are  derived  from  the 
phrase  frequently  occurring  in  the  Old  Testament,  to  lift  up,  or  to  accept 
the  face  (i.  e.  the  person),  in  the  sense  of  showing  favour.  This  phrase 
is  often  used  in  a  good  sense.  Gen.  19  :  21,  "  See  I  have  accepted  thee" 
(i.  e.  thy  face).  Job  42 :  8.  So  '  accepted  or  lifted  up  of  face,'  means 
one  honoured  or  favoured,  2  Kings  5:1.  Isa.  3  :  3,  &c.  Most  frequently, 
and  especially  when  spoken  of  judges,  it  is  used  in  a  bad  sense.  Lev. 
19  :  15,  "  Thou  shalt  not  accept  the  person  of  the  poor,"  Prov.  24  :  23, 
&c.  So  in  the  New  Testament,  uniformly  in  the  sense  of  improper  par- 
tiality, Eph.  6  :  9.  Col.  3:  25.  James  2:  1.  This  verse  then  contains 
the  sentiment  which  is  at  the  foundation  of  the  declaration  of  the  pre- 
ceding verses.  The  Jews  and  Gentiles  shall  be  treated  on  precisely  the 
same  principles,  because  God  is  perfectly  impartial.  There  is  no  respect 
of  persons  with  him. 

(12)  For  as  many  as  have  sinned  ivithout  law,  shall  perish  without  law  ; 
and  as  many  as  have  sinned  in  the  law,  shall  he  judged  by  the  law.  In  the 
preceding  verse  it  was  stated  that  God  is  impartial  and  just  in  all  his 
judgments.  This  is  confirmed,  not  only  by  the  previous  statement  that 
he  would  judge  every  man  according  to  his  works,  but  also  by  the  exhi- 
bition of  the  important  principle  announced  in  this  verse.  Men  are  to 
be  judged  by  the  light  they  have  severally  enjoyed.  The  ground  of 
judgment  is  their  works,  the  standard  of  judgment  is  their  knowledge. 
As  many  as  have  sinned  without  law,  that  is,  as  appears  from  the  con- 
text, without  a  special  revelation  of  the  divine  will;  see  1  Cor.  9:  21. 
The  law,  as  used  by  the  apostle,  as  will  be  seen  hereafter,  means  the 
rule  of  duty,  the  will  of  God  as  revealed  for  our  obedience;  commonly, 
however,  with  special  reference  to  the  revelations  made  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. This  is  evidently  the  case  here.  Shall  perish  without  laiu,  that 
is,  shall  be  punished  by  a  different  standard,  to  wit,  by  that  against 


ROMANS  2  :  1— IC.  49 

which  they  have  sinned.  The  word  rendered  perish^  from  its  opposi- 
tion to  that  used  in  the  latter  part  of  the  verse,  expresses  the  idea,  'be- 
ing condemned,  shall  be  punished.'  As  many  as  have  sinned  in  the 
law.  In  the  law^  i.  e.  subject  to  the  law,  as  to  be  in  the  Jiesh,  ch.  7  :  5. 
8 :  8,  &c.,  is  to  be  subject  to  the  flesh;  to  be  in  sin  is  to  be  under  its 
control;  see  ch.  3:  19,  "  What  the  law  says,  it  says  to  those  who  are 
under  the  law,"  literally,  those  in  the  law,  as  here.  The  meaning,  there- 
fore, obviously  is,  'Those  who  are  under  a  special  revelation  of  the  will 
of  God,  and  have  sinned,  &c.  &c.,  shall  he  judged  by  the  law."*  Judged, 
i.  e.  condemned,  as  the  word  often  means,  and  as  the  context  here  re- 
quires. By  the  law,  i.  e.  by  means  of  the  law,  by  it  as  the  rule  or  stand- 
ard ;  see  the  same  preposition  so  used,  James  2  :  12.  2  Cor.  8  :  8.  Paul 
no  more  asserts  in  this  passage  that  all  who  have  no  revelation  shall 
perish,  than  he  does  that  all  who  have  a  revelation  shall  be  condemned. 
He  is  not  speaking  of  the  actual  destiny  of  either  class,  but  of  the  rule 
by  which  men  are  to  be  judged. 

(13)  For  not  the  hearers  of  the  law  are  just  before  God,  but  the  doers  of 
the  law  shall  be  justified.  The  reason  is  here  assigned  for  the  declara- 
tion contained  in  the  last  clause  of  the  preceding  verse,  '  Those  who  are 
under  the  law  shall  be  judged  by  it,  or  punished  according  to  it,  for  it 
is  not  the  mere  possession  of  the  law,  but  obedience  to  it,  which  is  of 
avail  before  God.  The  expression  hearers  of  the  law  is  used  because 
readers,  before  the  multiplication  of  books  by  the  press,  were  compara- 
tively few.  Hence  it  w^as  by  hearing,  rather  than  by  reading,  that 
knowledge  was  obtained.  The  phrase  to  be  just  before  God,  i.  e.  in  his 
sight  or  estimation,  serves  to  explain  the  other  equivalent  term  at  the 
end  of  the  verse,  shall  be  justified.  Both  are  evidently  forensic  expres- 
sions, and  mean,  shall  be  regarded  and  treated  as  just  or  righteous  in 
the  sight  of  God.  The  apostle  has  evident  reference  to  the  opinion  of 
the  Jews,  that  being  a  Jew  was  enough  to  secure  admission  into  hea- 
ven. When  Paul  says  the  doers  of  the  law  shall  be  justified,  he  is  of 
course  not  to  be  understood  as  teaching,  contrary  to  his  own  repeated 
declarations  and  arguments,  that  men  are  actually  to  be  justified  by 
obedience  to  the  law.  This  is  the  very  thing  which  he  is  labouring  to 
prove  impossible.  The  context  renders  his  meaning  plain.  He  is  speak- 
ing not  of  the  method  of  justification  available  for  sinners,  but  of  the 
principles  on  which  all  wiio  are  out  of  Christ  are  to  be  judged.  They 
shall  be  judged  impartially,  according  to  their  works,  and  agreeably  to 
their  knowledge  of  duty.  On  these  principles  no  flesh  living  can  be 
justified  in  the  sight  of  God.  The  only  way,  as  he  afterwards  teaches, 
to  escape  their  application,  is  to  confide  in  Christ,  in  virtue  of  whose 
death  God  can  be  just  and  yet  justify  the  ungodly  who  believe  in  him. 

Though  this  verse,  with  the  14th  and  15th,  form  a  parenthesis,  as  is 
evident  from  the  16th,  which  requires  to  be  immediately  connected  with 
the  12th,  yet  they  are  intimately  related  to  what  immediately  precedes. 
The  13th  is  the  ground  of  what  is  asserted  in  the  last  clause  of  the  12th, 

E 


50  ROMANS  2  :  1— IC. 

viz.  that  those  who  have  sinned  under  a  law  shall  be  condemned  by  it ; 
and  vs.  14,  15,  are  the  ground  of  the  assertion,  that  those  who  have  sinned 
without  a  revelation  shall  yet  be  punished,  because,  though  they  have 
no  law,  they  are  a  law  unto  themselves. 

(14)  For  when  the  Gentiles,  which  have  not  the  law,  do  by  nature  the 
things  of  the  law,  &c.  The  word  for  does  not  indicate  the  connexion 
between  this  and  the  preceding  verse,  but  between  this  and  the  first  clause 
of  the  12th,  as  just  stated.  'The  Gentiles  are  not  excusable,  although 
rot  amenable  to  the  written  law  revealed  to  the  Jews,  since  they  have  a 
law  written  upon  their  hearts,  by  which  they  shall  be  judged,  and  accord- 
ing to  which  they  shall  be  punished.'  In  support  of  this  assertion,  the 
apostle  appeals  first  to  the  moral  acts  of  the  heathen,  as  evincing  a  moral 
sense  ;  and  secondly,  v.  15,  to  the  operations  of  their  conscience.  Do  by 
nature  the  things  of  the  law.  To  do  the  things  of  the  laiv  is  to  do  what  the 
law  prescribes.  When  they  practise  any  of  the  virtues,  or  perform  any 
moral  acts,  these  acts  are  the  evidence  of  a  moral  sense ;  they  show  that 
the  Gentiles  have  a  rule  of  right  and  wrong,  and  a  feeling  of  obligation, 
or,  in  other  words,  that  they  are  a  law  unto  themselves.  The  absence  of 
all  moral  acts  in  the  lower  animals  shows  that  they  have  no  law  or  sense 
of  moral  obligation.  But  men,  no  matter  how  diversified  may  be  their 
circumstances,  all  evince  that  they  are  under  a  moral  law. 

Paul  says,  the  heathen  "  do  by  nature  the  things  of  the  law."  The 
word  rendered  nature  often  signifies  the  natural  constitution,  innate  tend- 
ency or  disposition.  This  expression  is  common  in  all  languages,  and 
is  used,  as  in  this  case  by  the  apostle,  to  refer  us  to  a  source  of  acts 
independent  of  external  causes  and  influences.  When  it  is  said  that  an 
animal  is  cruel  by  nature,  it  is  meant  that  its  cruelty  is  to  be  accounted  for 
by  its  natural  constitution,  and  not  by  imitation  or  example.  When, 
therefore,  the  Gentiles  are  said  '  to  do  by  nature  the  things  of  the  law,* 
it  is  meant  that  they  have  not  been  taught  by  others.  It  is  neither  by 
instruction  nor  example,  but  by  their  own  innate  sense  of  right  and 
wrong,  that  they  are  directed.  Having  this  natural  sense  of  right  and 
wrong,  though  destitute  of  a  law  externally  revealed,  they  are  a  law  unto 
themselves. 

(15)  Who  show  the  work  of  the  law  written  on  their  hearts,  &c.  The 
relative  pronouns,  when  used  in  this  way  at  the  beginning  of  a  clause, 
are  often  intended  to  introduce  a  reason  for  a  preceding  declaration.  So 
here,  the  Gentiles  are  a  law  unto  themselves,  because  they  show  the  work 
of  the  law,  &c. ;  see  ch.  1 :  25.  2  Cor.  8  :  10,  &c.  The  expression  work  of 
the  law  may  either  mean  the  '  effect  of  the  law,'  viz.  a  knowledge  of 
duty;  or  it  may  be  a  mere  paraphrase  for  the  law  itself.  Compare  the 
somewhat  similar  expressions  "  work  of  the  ministry,"  Eph.  4 :  12 ; 
*'  work  of  faith,"  1  Thess.  1  :  3,  though  in  neither  of  these  cases  is  the 
word  properly  redundant.  Paul  says  the  Gentiles  show  that  this  law  is 
written  on  their  hearts  by  their  actions,  as  started  in  the  previous  verse. 

There  is  another  source  of  proof  as  to  the  existence  of  this  internal  law 


ROMANS  2:  1—16.  51 

their  conscience  also  hearing  witness,  and  their  thoughts  the  mean  while 
accusing,  or  else  excusing  one  another.  The  former  of  these  clauses  may 
mean  either  '  their  conscience  bearing  witness  to  this  law  written  in  their 
hearts,  i.  e.  assenting  to  it,  and  confirming  it ;'  or,  what  is  better  suited 
to  the  force  of  the  word, '  their  conscience  bears  the  same  testimony  with 
their  acts  ;  it  joins  to  prove  that  they  are  a  law  unto  themselves.'  Con- 
science is  then  obviously  put  for  its  exercises.  Paul  appeals  both  to  the 
conduct  and  inward  experience  of  the  Gentiles  in  proof  of  his  position, 
that  they  are  not  destitute  of  a  rule  of  duty. 

The  other  clause  of  this  verse  is  very  variously  explained.  The  word 
rendered  in  the  mean  while  is  sometimes  an  adverb,  and  sometimes  a  pre- 
position. Our  translators  take  it  here  as  the  former.  The  sense  then  is, 
'  Their  conscience,  and  then  their  thoughts  or  moral  judgments  of  appro- 
val or  disapproval ;'  or  '  their  conscience  bears  witness,  and  hereafter 
their  thoughts  (principles)  shall  approve  or  condemn  them.'  But  the 
word  is  so  intimately  connected  with  the  genitive  which  follows,  that  it 
seems  much  more  natural  to  take  it  as  a  preposition  ;  as  in  Matt.  18 :  15, 
"  Tell  him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone."  Acts  15  :  9,  "And 
put  no  difference  between  us  and  them,"  &c.  '  Their  thoughts  between 
themselves,  accusing  or  excusing;'  that  is,  '  their  moral  judgments  alter- 
nately approving  or  condemning.'  This  clause  may  be  considered  as 
merely  an  amplification  of  the  previous  one,  so  that  the  testimony  of  con- 
science is  made  to  consist  in  these  approving  and  disapproving  judg- 
ments ;  or  it  may  be  considered  as  co-ordinate  wdth  it,  and  as  containing 
another  proof  of  the  apostle's  general  position,  that  the  Gentiles  are  a  law 
unto  themselves.  There  are,  then,  three  arguments  presented  in  favour 
of  this  position,  the  moral  conduct  of  the  heathen,  their  general  moral 
sense,  and  these  special  acts  of  self-approbation  and  self-accusing.  The 
use  of  the  word  and,  between  the  second  and  third  clauses,  is  rather  in 
favour  of  this  latter  view. 

(16)  Iti  the  day  that  God  shall  judge  the  secrets  of  men,  by  Jesus  Christ, 
according  to  my  gospel.  This  verse,  according  to  the  common  and  most 
natural  interpretation,  is  to  be  connected  with  v.  12.  Verses  13,  14,  15, 
although  intimately  related  to  the  12th,  are  yet  evidently  a  parenthesis. 
Paul  had  said  that  those  who  had  no  law  should  be  punished  without 
reference  to  the  written  law,  and  that  those  who  were  subject  to  such  a 
law  should  be  judged  by  it,  v.  12.  He  now  adds,  v.  16,  that  this  is  to 
be  done  on  the  last  day,  the  day  when  God  shall  judge  the  secrets  of 
men,  &c.  The  secrets  of  men,  not  their  works  of  parade,  done  to  be  seen 
and  admired,  but  those  hidden  deeds  of  heart  and  life,  which  form  the 
true  criterion  of  character.  Thus  simply  does  he  describe  the  great  day, 
the  day  of  judgment.  This  judgment  shall  be  conducted  by  Jesus  Christ, 
agreeably  to  our  Saviour's  own  declaration,  "  The  Father  judgeth  no 
man,  but  hath  committed  all  judgment  unto  the  Son  ;"  see  Acts  17  ;  31. 
The  fact  that  there  is  to  be  such  a  day  of  trial,  and  that  Jesus  Christ  is  to 
oe  the  judge,  is  part  of  the  revelation  contained  in  the  gospel.    Paul 


52  ROMANS  2:  1—16. 

therefore  adds,  according  to  my  gospel,  which  of  course  cannot  mean  that 
all  men  are  to  be  judged  by  the  gospel,  whether  they  have  heard  it  or 
not.  This  would  be  in  direct  contradiction  to  the  principle  which  he  had 
just  been  establishing,  that  men  are  to  be  judged  by  the  light  they  seve- 
rally possess.  The  meaning  is,  that  the  fact  of  a  final  and  righteous 
judgment  is  part  of  the  revelation  of  the  gospel. 

Such  then  are  the  principles  on  which  Paul  assures  us  that  all  men  are 
to  be  judged.  They  commend  themselves  irresistibly  to  every  man's 
conscience  as  soon  as  they  are  announced,  and  yet  every  false  hope  of 
heaven  is  founded  on  their  denial  or  neglect. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  The  leading  doctrine  of  this  section  is,  that  God  is  just.  His 
judgments  are  infinitely  removed  above  all  those  disturbing  causes  of 
ignorance  and  partiality  by  which  the  decisions  of  men  are  perverted, 
vs.  1—16. 

2.  The  refuge  which  men  are  always  disposed  to  seek  in  their  sup- 
posed advantages  of  ecclesiastical  connexion,  as  belonging  to  the  true 
church,  &c.  &c.,  is  a  vain  refuge.  God  deals  with  men  according  to 
their  real  character,  vs.  2,  3. 

3.  The  goodness  of  God  has  both  the  design  and  tendency  to  lead  men 
to  repentance.     If  it  fails,  the  fault  must  be  their  own,  v.  4. 

4.  It  is  a  great  abuse  of  the  divine  goodness  and  forbearance  to  derive 
encouragement  from  them  to  continue  in  sin.  Such  conduct  will  cer- 
tainly aggravate  our  condemnation,  vs.  3 — 5. 

5.  None  but  the  truly  good,  no  matter  what  the  professions,  connex- 
ions, or  expectations  of  others  may  be,  shall  be  saved ;  and  none  but  the 
truly  wicked,  whether  Gentile  or  Jew,  Christian  or  heathen,  shall  be  lost, 
vs.  6—10. 

6.  The  goodness  which  the  Scriptures  approve  consists,  in  a  great  de- 
gree, in  the  pursuit  of  heavenly  things ;  it  is  a  seeking  after  glory,  ho- 
hour,  and  immortality,  by  a  persevering  continuance  in  well-doing.  It 
is  the  pursuit  of  the  true  end  of  our  being  by  the  proper  means,  v.  7. 

7.  The  responsibility  of  men  being  very  different  in  this  world,  their 
rewards  and  punishments  will,  in  all  probability,  be  very  different  in  the 
next.  Those  who  knew  not  their  Lord's  will  shall  be  beaten  with  few 
stripes.  And  those  who  are  faithful  in  the  use  of  ten  talents  shall  be 
made  rulers  over  ten  cities,  vs.  9,  10. 

8.  The  heathen  are  not  be  judged  by  a  revelation  of  which  they  never 
heard.  But  as  they  enjoy  a  revelation  of  the  divine  character  in  the 
works  of  creation,  ch.  1 :  19,  20j  and  of  the  rule  of  duty  in  their  own 
hearts,  vs.  14,  15,  they  are  inexcusable.  They  can  no  more  abide  the 
test  by  which  they  are  to  be  tried,  than  we  can  stand  the  application  of 
the  severer  rule  by  which  we  are  to  be  judged.  Both  classes,  therefore, 
need  a  Saviour,  v.  12. 


ROMANS  2  :  17—29.  53 

9.  The  moral  sense  is  an  original  part  of  our  constitution,  and  not  the 
result  of  education,  v.  14. 

10.  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  to  sit  in  judgment  upon  the  secrets  of  all 
men,  must  be  possessed  of  infinite  knowledge,  and  therefore  be  divine, 
V.  16. 

REMARKS. 

1.  The  deceitfulness  of  the  human  heart  is  strikingly  exhibited  in  the 
different  judgments  which  men  pass  upon  themselves  and  others ;  con- 
demning in  others  what  they  excuse  in  themselves.  And  it  not  unfre- 
quently  happens  that  the  most  censorious  are  the  most  criminal,  vs.  1,  3. 

2.  How  does  the  goodness  of  God  affect  us  1  If  it  does  not  lead  us 
to  repentance,  it  will  harden  our  hearts  and  aggravate  our  condemnation, 
vs.  4,  5. 

3.  Genuine  repentance  is  produced  by  discoveries  of  God's  mercy, 
legal  repentance  by  fear  of  his  justice,  v.  4. 

4.  Any  doctrine  which  tends  to  produce  security  in  sin  must  be  false. 
The  proper  effect  of  the  enjoyment  of  peculiar  advantages  is  to  increase 
our  sense  of  responsibility,  and  our  gratitude  to  God,  and  not  to  make  us 
suppose  that  we  are  his  special  favourites.  God  is  no  respecter  of  per- 
sons, vs.  3 — 10. 

5.  How  vain  the  hopes  of  future  blessedness,  indulged  by  the  immo- 
ral, founded  upon  the  expectation  either  that  God  will  not  deal  with 
them  according  to  their  works,  or  that  the  secrets  of  their  hearts  will 
not  be  discovered  !  vs.  6 — 10,  16. 

6.  If  God  is  a  just  God,  his  wrath  is  not  to  be  escaped  by  evasions, 
but  in  the  way  of  his  own  appointment.  If  we  have  no  righteousness  of 
our  own,  we  must  seek  that  of  the  Saviour,  vs.  1 — 16. 

7.  He  who  died  for  the  sins  of  men  is  to  sit  in  judgment  upon  sinners. 
How  dreadful  for  those  who  reject  his  atonement !  How  delightful  for 
those  who  confide  in  his  merit !  v.  16. 

CHAP.  2:  17—29. 

^"Behold,  thou  art  called  a  Jew,  and  restest  in  the  law,  and  makest 
thy  boast  of  God,  ^^nd  knowest  his  will,  and  approvest  the  things  that 
are  more  excellent,  being  instructed  out  of  the  law ;  ^^and  art  confident 
that  thou  thyself  art  a  guide  of  the  blind,  a  light  of  them  which  are  in 
darkness,  ^Oan  instructor  of  the  foolish,  a  teacher  of  babes,  which  hast 
the  form  of  knowledge  and  of  the  truth  in  the  law.  ^iThou  therefore 
which  teachest  another,  teachest  thou  not  thyself?  thou  that  preachest  a 
man  should  not  steal,  dost  thou  steal  1  ^axhou  that  sayest  a  man  should 
not  commit  adultery,  dost  thou  commit  adultery  T  thou  that  abhorrest 
idols,  dost  thou  commit  sacrilege  1  ^^xhou  that  makest  thy  boast  of  the 
law,  through  breaking  the  law  dishonourest  thou  God  1  ^For  the  name 
of  God  is  blasphemed  among  the  Gentiles  through  you,  as  it  is  written. 
2^For  circumcision  verily  profiteth,  if  thou  keep  the  law  :  but  if  thou  be 

e2 


M  ROMANS  2:  17—29. 

a  breaker  of  the  law,  thy  circumcision  is  made  uncircnmcision.  ^^There 
fore  if  the  uncircumcision  keep  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  shall  not 
his  uncircumcision  be  counted  for  circumcision  1  ^^And  shall  not  un- 
circumcision which  is  by  nature,  if  it  fulfil  the  law,  judge  thee,  who  by 
the  letter  and  circumcision  dost  transgress  the  law  1  ^^For  he  is  not  a 
Jew  which  is  one  outwardly ;  neither  is  that  circumcision  which  is  out- 
ward in  the  flesh :  "^but  he  is  a  Jew  which  is  one  inwardly ;  and  cir- 
cumcision is  that  of  the  heart,  in  the  spirit,  and  not  in  the  letter ;  whose 
praise  is  not  of  men,  but  of  God. 

ANALYSIS. 

This  section  consists  properly  of  two  parts.  The  first,  vs.  17 — 24, 
contains  an  application  of  the  principles,  laid  down  in  the  former  sec- 
tion, to  the  case  of  the  Jews.  The  second,  vs.  25 — 29,  is  an  exhibition 
af  the  nature  and  design  of  circumcision.  The  principal  grounds  of 
dependence  on  the  part  of  the  Jews  were,  1.  Their  covenant  relation  to 
God.  2.  Their  superior  advantages  as  to  divine  knowledge.  3.  Their 
circumcision.  Now  if  it  is  true  that  God  will  judge  every  man,  Jew  or 
Gentile,  according  to  his  works,  and  by  the  law  which  he  has  enjoyed, 
what  will  it  avail  any  to  say,  '  We  are  Jews,  we  have  the  law,  v.  17; 
we  have  superior  knowledge,  v.  18;  we  can  act  as  guides  and  instruct- 
ors to  others,  v.  19  1  This  may  all  be  very  true,  but  are  you  less  a  thief 
merely  because  you  condemn  stealing  1  less  an  adulterer  because  you 
condemn  adultery T  or  less  a  blasphemer  because  you  abhor  sacrilege? 
vs.  21,  22.  This  superior  knowledge,  instead  of  extenuating,  only  ag- 
gravates your  guilt.  While  boasting  of  your  advantages,  you,  by  your 
sins,  bring  a  reproach  on  God,  vs.  23,  24.  According  to  the  first  princi- 
ples of  justice,  therefore,  your  condemnation  will  be  no  less  certain,  and 
far  more  severe  than  that  of  the  Gentiles.'  As  to  circumcision,  to  which 
the  Jews  attached  so  much  importance,  the  apostle  shows  that  it  could 
avail  nothing,  except  on  condition  of  obedience  to  the  law  or  covenant  to 
which  it  belonged,  v.  25.  If  the  law  is  broken,  circumcision  is  worth- 
less, V.  25,  latter  clause.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  law  is  obeyed,  the 
want  of  circumcision  will  not  prevent  a  blessing,  v.  26.  More  than 
this,  if  those  less  favourably  situated  than  the  Jews  are  found  obedient, 
they  will  rise  up  in  judgment  against  the  disobedient,  though  favoured, 
people  of  God,  V.  27.  All  this  proves  that  an  external  rite  can,  in  itself, 
have  no  saving  power  :  because  God  is  a  Spirit,  and  requires  and  re- 
gards spiritual  obedience  alone.  This  principle  is  stated,  first  nega- 
tively, he  is  not  a  Jew  who  is  such  in  profession  merely,  v.  99,  and  then 
affirmatively,  he  is  a  Jew  who  is  one  inwardly,  v.  29. 

COMMENTARY. 

(17)  Behold  thou  art  aJew^  and  restest  in  the  law,  andmakest  thy  boast 
of  God.  The  main  ground  of  confidence  in  the  Jew  was  that  he  was  one 
of  the  covenant  people  of  God.    To  this,  therefore,  Paul  first  relers 


ROMANS  2  :  17—29.  55 

Thou  art  called  a  Jew^  i.  e.  one  of  the  people  of  God.  The  word  Jew  is 
evidently  taken  here  in  its  religious  rather  than  its  civil  or  national  sense; 
it  expresses  the  relation  of  the  people  to  God  rather  than  to  other  na- 
tions. A  Jew,  therefore,  in  opposition  to  a  Gentile,  was  a  member  of 
the  true  church,  a  child  of  Abraham,  &c.  In  this  sense  the  word  occurs 
again  in  vs.  28,  29.  Rev.  2:9,  "I  know  the  blasphemy  of  those  who 
say  they  are  Jews,  and  are  not." 

jRestest  in  ike  law,  i.  e.  reclinest  upon  it  as  a  ground  of  confidence. 
The  same  word  occurs  in  the  Septuagint  version  of  the  strikingly  analo- 
gous passage  in  Micah  3 :  11,  "The  heads  thereof  judge  for  reward, 
and  the  priests  thereof  teach  for  hire,  the  prophets  thereof  divine  for 
money ;  yet  will  they  lean  upon  the  Lord,  and  say.  Is  not  the  Lord 
among  US'?  None  evil  can  come  upon  us."  This  is  precisely  the  spirit 
which  Paul  reproves,  a  reliance  on  external  advantages,  connected  with 
security  in  sin.  The  law  here  means  the  whole  civil  and  religious  polity 
of  the  Jews ;  the  Mosaic  system,  the  possession  of  which  made  such  a 
distinction  between  them  and  other  nations,  and  conferred  upon  them 
such  exalted  privileges. 

^nd  makest  thy  boast  of  God.  The  words  which  are  thus  correctly 
rendered  here,  occur  in  a  very  different  sense  in  ch.  5 :  11,  where  they 
are  translated  we  joy  in  God.  The  word  rendered  to  boast  is  expressive  of 
self-gratulation,  with  or  without  sufficient  reason.  It  is  therefore  often 
used  for  vain  boasting.  Its  meaning  here  is  obvious.  The  Jews  consi- 
dered that  they  had  reason  for  self-gratulation  and  exaltation  in  their 
peculiar  relation  to  God.  Their  boast  and  confidence  was  that  he  was 
their  God,  and  that  they  were  his  people. 

(18)  Jlnd  knowest  his  will,  and  approvest  the  things  which  are  most 
excellent,  &c.  The  second  ground  of  confidence  was  their  superior 
knowledge.  The  Jews  not  only  supposed  themselves  to  stand  in  a  more 
favourable  relation  to  God  than  the  Gentiles,  but  they  regarded  them- 
selvesas  personally  greatly  their  superiors;  having  better  knowledge  of 
divine  things,  &c.  On  the  ground  of  this  superiority  they  expected  to 
be  treated  with  especial  favour  when  they  appeared  before  God.  To  this 
ground  of  confidence  the  apostle  now  refers.  Knoiuest  his  will,  '  art 
possessed  of  a  divine  revelation  ;'  or, '  knowest  what  is  pleasing  to  God.' 
The  next  clause  may  be  rendered,  either  thou  approvest  the  things  thai 
are  more  excellent ,-  or  thou  discernest  {can  decide  about)  the  things  which 
differ.  The  usage  of  the  Greek  terms  admit  of  either  of  these  versions. 
The  context  is  in  favour  of  the  latter,  as  the  point  in  hand  is  the  superior 
knowledge  of  the  Jews,  by  which  they  were  able  to  decide  questions  of 
duty  which  others  could  not,  and  hence  thought  themselves  fit  to  be  their 
guides  and  teachers.  The  same  phrase  occurs  again,  Phil.  1  :  10,  where 
it  may  be  rendered  as  it  is  here. 

(19,  20)  .ind  art  confident  that  thou  thyself  art  a  guide  to  the  blind, 
and  a  light  to  them  that  are  in  darkness,  &e.  What  is  expressed  figu- 
ratively in  this  verse,  is  expressed  literally  in  the  one  that  follows—an 


66  ROMANS  2  ;  17—29. 

instructor  of  the  foolish,  a  teacher  of  babes.  There  is  no  trait  of  thi8 
Jewish  character  more  prominently  exhibited  than  their  self-confident 
superiority  to  others.  Hence  their  desire  to  make  proselytes,  their  end- 
less inculcation  of  the  commands  of  men  for  the  doctrines  of  God,  their 
contempt  of  the  Gentiles,  &c.  &c.  Their  Rabbins  were  in  the  habit  of 
calling  themselves  '  the  light  of  the  world.'  Which  hast  the  form  of 
knowledge  and  truth  in  the  law.  The  word  rendered  form  means  the 
external  shape  or  appearance  of  a  thing  ;  2  Tim.  3:5,"  Having  the 
form  of  godliness."  It  also  signifies  a  just  representation,  and  then  a 
rule.  The  idea  is,  '  they  have  in  the  law  a  perfect  representation  of 
what  truth  and  duty  are,'  or  '  a  perfect  rule  of  moral  truth.'  The  words 
*'  knowledge  and  truth,"  by  a  common  figure,  may  mean  /rwe  knowledge; 
or  be  equivalent  to  knowledge  of  the  truth. 

(21,  22)  Thou  therefore  which  ieachest  another,  teachest  thou  not  thy- 
self? thou  that  preachest  a  man  should  not  steal,  dost  thou  steal?  &c.  For 
the  connexion  of  this  verse  with  the  17th,  see  the  note  on  that  passage. 
We  have  here  the  application  of  the  above  reasoning  to  the  hopes  of  the 
Jews.  If  men  are  to  be  judged  according  to  their  works,  those  who  do 
wickedly,  who  steal,  commit  adultery  and  sacrilege,  no  matter  whether 
they  are  called  Jews,  and  make  their  boast  in  God,  and  are  instructed  out 
of  the  law,  or  not,  shall  assuredly  be  condemned.  It  is  evident  that  the 
crimes  of  theft,  adultery,  and  sacrilege  are  here  specified,  not  as  crimes 
which  all  the  Jews  committed,  but  as  examples  merely.  '  If  you,  though 
Jews,  do  what  you  condemn  in  others,  you  will  not  escape  the  righteous 
judgment  of  God.  So  far  from  this,  your  superior  advantages  will 
increase  the  weight  of  your  condemnation.'  Paui  intended  forcibly  to 
assert  that  the  Jews  were  guilty  of  these  and  other  crimes,  and  it  matters 
little  whether  the  interrogative  or  affirmative  form  of  address  be  adopted; 
i.  e.  whether  we  read  '  Dost  thou  steal  ]'  or  '  Thou  dost  steal,  dost  com- 
mit adultery,'  &c.  It  is  a  mere  matter  of  punctuation.  The  interroga- 
tion gives  the  assertion  rather  more  point.  It  has  been  questioned  whether 
the  apostle,  in  charging  the  Jews  with  sacrilege,  had  reference  to  the 
specific  crime  of  temple-robbery,  or  more  generally  to  the  wicked  and  pro- 
fane abuse  and  perversion  of  sacred  things.  Most  probably  to  the  latter, 
because  there  is  no  historical  evidence  of  temple-robbery  having  been 
committed  by  them;  and  because  the  prophets  represent  the  withholding 
from  God  his  due,  and  the  appropriation  of  sacred  things  to  a  common  use, 
as  a  robbery  of  God.  Malachi  3  :  8,  "  Will  a  man  rob  God  1  Yet  ye 
have  robbed  me.  But  ye  say.  Wherein  have  we  robbed  thee  1  In  tithes 
and  offerings."  While  the  Jews,  therefore,  abhorred  idols,  which  was 
one  form  of  showing  contempt  for  God,  they  evinced,  without  compunc- 
tion, their  want  of  reverence  for  the  divine  Being,  in  ways  scarcely  less 
offensive.  That  this  abhorrence  of  idolatry  was  characteristic  of  the 
Jews  after  the  captivity,  is  one  of  the  most  familiar  facts  in  their  history; 
and  it  is  as  great  now  as  at  any  former  period. 

(23,  24)  Thou  thai  makest  thy  boast  of  the  laW)  through  breaking  the 


ROMANS  2  :  17—29.  57 

7flMJ,  dishonourest  thou  God  ?  &c.  Another  striking  instance  of  their  not 
acting  agreeably  to  their  advantages,  while  making  a  boast  of  the  law, 
and  of  their  peculiar  relation  to  God,  as  their  God,  and  theirs  only  ;  in- 
stead of  acting  worthily  of  this  relation,  they  so  acted,  that  the  name  of 
God  was  every  day  blasphemed  ;  that  is,  the  Gentiles  were  constantly 
led  to  speak  and  think  evil  of  a  God,  whose  worshippers  were  so  wicked 
as  the  Jews.  This  assertion  he  confirms  by  the  declarations  of  their  own 
prophets  ;  see  Ezek.  36  :  20,  23. 

(25)  Por  circumcision  verily  projiteih  if  thou  keep  the  law,  &c.  It  had 
obviously  been  implied  in  the  previous  reasoning  of  the  apostle,  that  the 
Jews,  being  chargeable  with  the  sins  just  mentioned,  could  not  escape 
the  righteous  judgment  of  God  ;  for  circumcision  is  of  no  account,  unless 
the  law  be  obeyed ;  if  that  is  broken,  circumcision  is  uncircumcision. 
The  connexion  between  this  and  the  preceding  verses  is  thus  obvious. 
The  design  of  this  passage,  vs.  25 — 29,  therefore,  is  to  show  that  circum- 
cision afforded  no  security  to  the  Jews.  This  rite  was  regarded  by  the 
Hebrews,  and  is  considered  by  the  apostle  under  two  different  aspects. 
First,  as  a  rite  possessed  of  inherent  efficacy  or  merit  of  its  own;  and, 
secondly,  as  a  sign  or  seal  of  God's  covenant.  In  the  former  view,  Paul 
here,  as  well  as  elsewhere  (see  Gal.  6:  15),  says,  "circumcision  is 
nothing,  and  uncircumcision  is  nothing."  In  the  latter,  it  had  its  legiti- 
mate and  important  value.  As  a  seal  it  was  attached,  in  the  first  place, 
to  the  national  covenant  between  God  and  the  Jews.  It  was  a  sign  of 
the  existence  of  that  covenant,  and  a  pledge,  on  the  part  of  God,  that  he 
would  fulfil  its  promises.  If  any  Jew  fulfilled  his  part  of  that  covenant, 
and  in  that  sense  kept  the  law,  his  circumcision  would  profit  him ;  it 
would  secure  to  him  all  the  blessings  of  Judaism.  But  it  was  also,  in 
the  second  place,  attached  to  the  spiritual  covenant  made  with  Abraham. 
"  It  was  a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith,"  i.  e.  was  designed  as  an 
assurance  that  he  was  regarded  as  righteous  by  means  of  his  faith,  and 
that  he  should  be  treated  accordingly.  To  all  those  Jews  who  had  the 
faith  of  Abraham,  and  thus  kept  the  covenant,  or  law  of  justification, 
established  with  him,  circumcision  was  in  like  manner  profitable.  It  was 
the  visible  sign  and  pledge  of  the  divine  favour.  On  the  other  hand,  if 
either  the  national  or  spiritual  covenant  were  broken,  circumcision  was 
of  no  more  use  than  the  seal  of  a  contract  after  all  its  binding  parts  had 
been  obliterated.  In  other  words,  the  validity  of  a  covenant  or  contract 
depends  on  the  performance  of  its  conditions,  not  on  the  mere  possession 
of  its  seal.  Paul,  therefore,  tells  the  Jews  that  there  was  no  inherent 
efficacy  in  circumcision,  that  it  could  avail  them  nothing  unless  they 
obeyed  the  law ;  if  they  were  transgressors  of  the  law,  as  he  had  just 
declared  them  to  be,  their  circumcision  was  made  uncircumcision.  That 
is,  it  would  do  them  no  good ;  and  though  of  the  number  of  the  people 
of  God,  they  should  be  treated  as  though  they  were  not. 

(26)  Therefore  if  the  uncircumcision  keep  the  righteousness  of  the  law^ 
shall  not  his  uncircumcision  be  counted  for  circumcision?    In  order  to 


58  ROMANS  2  ;  17—29. 

present  the  nature  of  this  rite  in  its  true  light,  he  reverses  the  statement 
of  the  previous  verse.  Circumcision  cannot  profit  any  one  if  the  law  is  " 
broken ;  and  the  want  of  it  cannot  invalidate  the  promise,  if  the  law  is 
kept.  In  other  words  circumcision  is  nothing,  and  uncircumcision  is 
nothing,  but  keeping  the  commandments  of  God.  The  rite,  in  itself 
considered,  is  of  no  avail.  If  a  man  should  faithfully  perform  all  the 
conditions  of  a  contract,  the  absence  of  the  seal  would  not,  in  the  judg- 
ment of  equity,  invalidate  his  claim,  any  more  than  the  possession  of 
the  seal,  while  the  conditioas  remained  unperformed,  would  entitle  him 
to  the  specified  reward. 

The  word  uncircumcision,  in  the  beginning  of  the  verse,  obviously 
means  an  uncircumcised  person,  by  a  common  metonymy,  but,  in  the 
latter  clause,  it  is  to  be  taken  literally.  The  righteousness  of  the  law, 
'  the  prescriptions  of  the  law;'  its  various  demands.  Paul  does  not  say 
that  any  heathen  does  fally  answer  the  demands  of  the  law,  the  case  is 
merely  stated  hypothetically  to  show  the  little  weight  due  to  circumci- 
sion. The  last  clause,  his  uncircumcision  shall  he  counted  for  circumci- 
sion, is  an  example  of  a  very  common  Hebrew  idiom;  according  to  which 
the  preposition  here  rendered  for  is  placed  after  verbs  signifying  to  be, 
to  become,  or  to  be  regarded,  where,  in  Greek,  the  nominative  would  be 
used.  The  apostle's  meaning  is  obvious.  '  The  one  shall  be  regarded 
and  treated  as  though  it  were  the  other.' 

(27)  A7id  shall  not  uncircumcision,  which  is  by  nature,  judge  thee,  &c. 
As  pointed  and  understood  by  our  translators,  this  verse  expresses 
more  than  the  preceding  one.  The  obedient  Gentile  would  not  only  be 
accepted,  although  uncircumcised,  but  he  would  rise  up  and  condemn  the 
more  favoured  Jew.  Which  is  by  nature,  i.  e.  which  is  natural.  Judge 
thee,  i.  e.  condemn  thee,  as  this  word  is  often  used,  see  v.  1.  Render  thy 
condemnation  and  its  justice  more  conspicuous.  As  the  men  of  Nineveh 
and  the  queen  of  the  south  are  to  rise  in  judgment  against  the  neglecters 
of  Christ  and  his  gospel  and  condemn  them.  Matt.  13:  41,  42.  The 
Jew  is  here  described  as  one  '  who  by  the  letter  and  circumcision  trans- 
gresses the  law.'  The  word  for  letter  means  not  only  an  alphabetic  cha- 
racter, but  also  any  thing  written  ;  John  5  :  47,  "  If  they  believe  not  his 
writings  ;"  2  Tim.  3  :  15,  "  Thou  hast  known  the  sacred  Scriptures."  It 
means  here  the  written  law,  see  v.  29,  and  ch.  7:6,  "  Not  according  to 
the  oldness  of  the  letter,"  i.  e.  the  old  written  law ;  2  Cor.  3:6,  "  Hath 
made  us  ministers,  not  of  the  letter,  but  of  the  spirit,"  that  is,  *  not  of 
the  written  law,  but  of  the  spiritual  dispensation.'  The  preposition  here 
rendered  by,  "by  the  letter  and  circumcision,"  may  often  be  rendered 
with,  and  should  be  so  translated  here ;  '  Who  with  the  letter  and  cir- 
cumcision;'  that  is,  'who,  although  possessed  of  the  letter,  i.  e.  the 
written  law,  and  circumcision,  art  a  transgressor  of  the  law  ;'  see  ch.  4  : 
11.  Heb.  9:  14.  The  words  "letter  and  cricumcision"  might,  by  a 
common  figure,  be  taken  to  mean  literal  circumcision  ;  but  this  is,  in  the 


ROMANS  2:  17—29.  59 

first  place,  unnecessary,  and,  in  the  second,  not  so  well  suited  to  the  con- 
text, as  nothing  is  said  here  of  a  spiritual  circumcision,  and  as  the  law  is 
too  prominent  a  point  in  the  advantages  of  the  Jews  to  allow  of  the  term 
which  expresses  it  here,  to  be  merged  in  a  mere  epithet. 

(28,  29)  For  he  is  not  a  Jew  which  is  one  outwardly,  neither  is  that  cir- 
cumcision  which  is  outward  in  the  Jlesh,  &c.  These  verses  assign  the 
reason  why  the  external  rite  of  circumcision  can  avail  so  little.  God 
regards  the  heart,  and  not  the  external  circumstances  of  men.  This  sen- 
timent is  expressed,  first  negatively,  v.  28,  and  then  affirmatively,  v.  29. 
The  word  Jew  is  here,  as  in  v.  17,  to  be  taken  in  its  religious  sense.  He 
is  not  a  Jew,  or  a  child  of  God,  who  is  such  by  profession  only,  or  in 
external  appearance.  Neither  is  the  circumcision  which  is  outward,  in 
the  flesh,  that  on  which  the  Scriptures  lay  so  much  stress,  as  when  it  is 
said,  "1  will  circumcise  your  heart,  and  the  heart  of  your  children,  to 
love  the  Lord  thy  God,"  Deut.  30  :  6.  The  sign  is  nothing  without  the 
spiritual  blessing  which  it  signifies.  But  he  is  a  Jew  which  is  one  in- 
wardly, tie  only  is  really  one  of  the  people  of  God  who  is  such  in 
heart ;  see  1  Pet.  3 :  4,  where  the  word,  which  properly  means  hidden, 
secret,  is  also  to  be  understood  in  the  sense  of  internal,  inward.  And 
circumcision  is  that  of  the  heart,  in  the  spirit  and  not  in  the  letter,  see 
Deut.  10:  16.  The  words  in  the  spirit,  not  in  the  letter,  are  evidently 
explanatory  of  the  circumcision  of  the  heart  of  which  the  apostle  is 
speaking;  but  they  may  be  understood  variously.  In  the  spirit  may 
mean  spiritual,  as  relating  to  the  spirit,  and  not  to  the  body,  and  in  the 
letter  would  then  mean  literal ;  '  Circumcision  of  the  heart  which  is  spi- 
ritual and  not  literal.'  Or  in  the  spirit  may  be  rendered  by  the  Spirit. 
This  gives  a  better  sense,  '  Circumcision  of  the  heart  which  is  effected 
by  the  Spirit,  and  not  made  after  the  direction  of  the  written  law ;'  com- 
pare Col.  2:  11.  According  to  this  view,  the  word  rendered  letter  re- 
tains  the  meaning  it  has  in  the  preceding  verses.  The  general  sentiment, 
however,  is  in  either  case  the  same. 

Whose  praise  is  not  of  men,  but  of  God.  The  word  whose  refers  to 
the  Jew  just  described.  His  excellence  is  internal,  seen  and  acknow- 
ledged of  God  :  not  such  as  falls  under  the  observation  of  men. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  Membership  in  the  true  church,  considered  as  a  visible  society,  is 
no  security  that  we  shall  obtain  the  favour  of  God.  The  Jews,  before 
the  advent,  were  members  of  the  true  and  only  church,  and  yet  Paul 
teaches  they  were  not  on  that  account  the  more  acceptable  to  God. 
Multitudes  of  Jewish  converts  were  members  of  the  apostolic  church, 
and  yet,  retaining  their  former  doctrines  and  spirit,  were  in  the  gall  of 
bitterness,  v.  17. 

2.  Mere  knowledge  cannot  commend  us  to  God.  It  neither  sanctifies 
the  heart,  nor  of  itself  renders  men  more  useful.    When  made  the  ground 


60  ROMANS  2;  17—29. 

of  confidence,  or  the  fuel  of  pride  and  arrogance,  it  is  perverted  and 
destructive,  vs.  18 — 20. 

3.  Superior  knowledge  enhances  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  increases  the 
certainty,  necessity,  and  severity  of  punishment,  withoutin  itself  increas- 
ing the  power  of  resistance.  It  is,  therefore,  a  great  mistake  to  make 
knowledge  our  sole  dependence  in  promoting  the  moral  improvement  of 
men,  vs.  18—20. 

4.  The  sins  of  the  professing  people  of  God  are  peculiarly  oflfensive  to 
him,  and  injurious  to  our  fellow  men,  vs.  22 — 24. 

5.  Here,  as  in  the  former  part  of  the  chapter,  the  leading  idea  is,  that 
God  is  just.  He  asks  not  whether  a  man  is  a  Jew  or  a  Gentile,  a  Greek 
or  Barbarian,  bond  or  free,  but  what  is  his  character?  Does  he  do  good 
or  evil  ]  vs.  17 — 24. 

6.  According  to  the  apostle,  the  true  idea  of  a  sacrament  is  not  that  it 
is  a  mystic  rite,  possessed  of  inherent  efficacy,  or  conveying  grace  as  a 
mere  opus  operatum ;  but  that  it  is  a  seal  and  sign,  designed  to  confirm 
our  faith  in  the  validity  of  the  covenant  to  which  it  is  attached ;  and, 
from  its  significant  character,  to  present  and  illustrate  some  great  spiritual 
truth,  v.  25. 

7.  All  hopes  are  vain  which  are  founded  on  a  participation  of  the 
sacraments  of  the  church,  even  when  they  are  of  divine  appointment,  as 
circumcision,  baptism,  and  the  Lord's  supper ;  much  more  when  they 
are  of  human  invention,  as  penance  and  extreme  unction,  vs.  26,  27. 

8.  Religion  and  religious  services,  to  be  acceptable  to  God,  must  be 
of  the  heart,  mere  external  homage  is  of  no  account,  vs.  28,  29. 

REMARKS. 

1.  The  sins  and  refuges  of  men  are  alike  in  all  ages.  The  Jew  expect- 
ed salvation  because  he  was  a  Jew,  so  does  the  Catholic  because  he  is  a 
Catholic,  the  Greek  because  he  is  a  Greek,  and  so  of  others.  Were  it 
ever  so  certain  that  the  church  to  which  we  belong  is  the  true,  apostolic, 
universal  church,  it  remains  no  less  certain  that  without  holiness  no  man 
shall  see  God,  v.  17,  &c. 

2.  Having  superior  knowledge  should  make  us  anxious,  first,  to  go 
right  ourselves,  and  then  to  guide  others  right.  To  preach  against  evils 
which  we  ourselves  commit,  while  it  aggravates  our  guilt,  is  little  likely 
to  do  others  much  good,  v.  18,  &c. 

3.  Christians  should  ever  remember  that  they  are  the  epistles  of  Jesus 
Christ,  known  and  read  of  all  men;  that  God  is  honoured  by  their  holy 
living,  and  that  his  name  is  blasphemed  when  they  act  wickedly,  vs. 
23,  24. 

4.  Whenever  true  religion  declines,  the  disposition  to  lay  undue  stress 
on  external  rites  is  increased.  The  Jews,  when  they  lost  their  spiritual- 
ity, supposed  that  circumcision  had  power  to  save  them.  '  Great  is  the 
virtue  of  circumcision,'  they  cried,  '  no  circumcised  person  enters  hell.' 
The  Christian  church,  when  it  lost  its  spirituality,  taught  that  water  in 


ROMANS  3  :  1—8.  Qt 

baptism  washed  away  sin.  How  large  a  part  of  nominal  Christians  rest 
all  their  hopes  on  the  idea  of  the  inherent  efficacy  of  external  rites !  v. 
25,  &c. 

5.  While  it  is  one  dangerous  extreme  to  make  religion  consist  in  the 
observance  of  external  ceremonies,  it  is  another  to  undervalue  them,  when 
of  divine  appointment.  Paul  does  not  say  that  circumcision  was  useless  ; 
he  asserts  its  value.  So,  likewise,  the  Christian  sacraments,  baptism 
and  the  Lord's  supper,  are  of  the  utmost  importance,  and  to  neglect  or 
reject  them  is  a  great  sin,  v.  26,  &c. 

6.  If  the  heart  be  right  in  the  sight  of  God,  it  matters  little  what 
judgment  men  may  form  of  us  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  the  approbation 
of  men  is  a  poor  substitute  for  the  favour  of  God,  v.  29. 


CHAPTER  m. 

CONTENTS. 

This  chapter  may  be  divided  into  three  parts.  The  first  contains  f 
brief  statement  and  refutation  of  the  Jewish  objections  to  the  apostle'i 
reasoning,  vs.  1 — 8.  The  second,  a  confirmation  of  his  doctrines  from 
the  testimony  of  Scripture ;  and  a  formal  drawing  out  and  declaration  of 
his  conclusion,  that,  'by  the  works  of  the  law  no  flesh  living  can  be  justi 
fied  before  God,'  vs.  9 — 20.  The  third,  an  exposition  of  the  gospel 
method  of  justification,  vs.  21 — 31. 

CHAP.  3 :  1—8. 

*"What  advantage  then  hath  the  Jew  1  or  what  profit  zs  there  of  circum- 
cision ]  ^Much  every  way  :  chiefly,  because  that  unto  them  were  com- 
mitted the  oracles  of  God.  ^For  what  if  some  did  not  believe  1  shall 
their  unbelief  make  the  faith  of  God  without  effect?  *God  forbid  ;  yea, 
let  God  be  true,  but  every  man  a  liar,  as  it  is  written.  That  thou  might- 
est  be  justified  in  thy  sayings,  and  mightest  overcome  when  thou  art 
judged.  ^But  if  our  unrighteousness  commend  the  righteousness  of 
God,  what  shall  we  say  1  Is  God  unrighteous  who  taketh  vengeance  ? 
(I  speak  as  a  man)  ''God  forbid  :  for  then  how  shall  God  judge  the 
world  1  7For  if  the  truth  of  God  hath  more  abounded  through  my  lie 
unto  his  glory  ;  why  yet  am  I  also  judged  as  a  sinner  1  ®And  not  rather, 
(as  we  be  slanderously  reported,  and  as  some  affirm  that  we  say,)  Let  us 
do  evil  that  good  may  come]  whose  damnation  is  just. 

ANALYSIS. 

The  first  objection  to  Paul's  reasoning  here  presented  is,  that  according 
to  his  doctrine,  the  Jew  has  no  advantage  over  the  Gentile,  v.  1.  The 
apostle  denies  the  correctness  of  this  inference  from  what  he  had  said, 

F 


62  ROMANS  3:  1—8. 

and  admits  that  the  Jews  have  great  advantages  over  all  other  people,  v 
2.  The  second  objection  is,  that  God  having  promised  to  be  the  God  of 
the  Jews,  their  unfaithfulness,  even  if  admitted,  does  not  release  him  from 
his  engagements,  or  make  his  promise  of  no  effect,  v.  3.  Paul,  in  an- 
swer, admits  that  the  faithfulness  of  God  must  not  be  called  in  question, 
let  what  will  happen,  vs.  4,  5  ;  but  he  shows  that  the  principle  on  which 
the  Jews  expected  exemption  from  punishment,  viz.  because  their  un- 
righteousness commended  the  righteousness  of  God,  is  false.  This  he 
proves  by  showing  first,  that  if  their  principle  was  correct,  God  could  not 
punish  any  one.  Gentile  or  Jew,  vs.  5,  6,  7 ;  and  secondly,  that  it  would 
lead  to  the  absurdity,  that  it  is  right  to  do  evil  that  good  may  come,  v.  8. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1)  What  advantage  then  hath  the  Jew  ?  or  what  profit  is  there  of  cir- 
cumcision ?  The  conclusion  at  which  the  apostle  had  arrived  at  the  close 
of  the  preceding  chapter  was,  that  the  Jews,  as  well  as  Gentiles,  are  to 
be  judged  according  to  their  works  and  by  their  knowledge  of  the  divine 
will ;  and  being  thus  judged,  they  are  exposed  to  condemnation,  notwith- 
standing their  circumcision,  and  all  other  advantages.  The  most  obvious 
objection  to  the  mind  of  a  Jew  to  this  conclusion  must  have  been,  that  it 
was  inconsistent  with  the  acknowledged  privileges  and  superiority  of  his 
nation.  This  objection  the  apostle  here  presents.  He  states  the  diffi- 
culty himself,  that  he  may  have  the  opportunity  of  removing  it.  The 
word  here  rendered  advantage^  when  used  as  a  substantive,  properly 
means  that  which  is  over,  the  excess,  and  then  pre-eminence,  superiority/. 
This  is  its  meaning  here,  '  what  then  is  the  pre-eminence  of  the  Jew  over 
the  Gentile  1  according  to  your  reasoning,  there  is  no  such  thing ;'  com- 
pare, on  this  word.  Matt.  5  :  47.  11:9.  Luke  7  :  26.  The  second  inter- 
rogation in  this  verse  is  nearly  equivalent  to  the  first;  as  circumcision 
may  be  taken  as  the  sign  of  Judaism,  '  what  is  the  profit  of  being  a  Jew  V 
Still  as  Paul  had  considered  circumcision  in  the  preceding  chapter  as  a 
distinct  ground  of  confidence,  and  as  the  Jews  attributed  to  it  so  much 
importance,  it  is  probably  to  be  understood  here  of  the  rite  itself. 

(2)  Much  every  way  .•  chiefi,y  because  unto  them  were  committed  the  ora- 
cles of  God.  This  is  the  answer  of  the  objection  presented  in  the  first 
verse.  It  consists  in  a  denial  of  the  correctness  of  the  inference  from  the 
apostle's  reasoning.  It  does  not  follow,  because  the  Jews  are  to  be 
judged  according  to  their  works,  that  there  is  no  advantage  in  being  tha 
peculiar  people  of  God,  having  a  divine  revelation,  &c.  &c.  Paul,  there- 
fore, freely  admits  that  the  advantages  of  the  Jews  are  great  in  every 
respect.  The  words  rendered  chiefly  may  be  variously  explained.  They 
may,  by  supplying  the  verb  is,  be  rendered  '  the  principal  thing  is  ;'  see 
Luke  15  :  22.  19  :  47.  Acts  25 :  2.  Or  they  may  be  taken,  as  by  our 
translators,  and  rendered  chiefly,  especially  ,•  see  Matt.  6  :  33.  2  Pet.  1 : 
20;  or  what  is  perhaps  more  natural,  zn  the  first  place  ;  'Their  advan- 
tages are  great,  for  first,'  &c.  That  no  enumeration  follows,  with  secondly. 


ROMANS  3  :  1—8.  63 

is  no  objection  to  this  rendering-,  for  Paul  often  fails  to  carry  out  an 
arrangement  with  which  he  commences  ;  see  1  :  8.  Unto  them  were  com- 
mitted. The  construction  of  this  clause,  in  the  original,  is  one  which 
frequently  occurs  in  Paul's  epistles  ;  see  1  Cor.  9  :  17.  Gal.  2  :  7.  Titus 
1  :  3.  The  oracles  of  God.  The  Greek  word  for  oracles  is  often  used,  in 
a  restricted  sense,  for  oracular  or  prophetic  declarations ;  but  in  the  Old 
and  New  Testament  it  occurs  frequently  in  its  general  sense,  for  words, 
any  thing  spoken.  See  Num.  24  :  4.  Ps.  19  :  14,  "  let  the  words  of  my 
mouth,"  &c.  Hence  in  reference  to  divine  communications  of  any  kind  ; 
see  Acts  7  :  38.  Heb.  5  :  12,  "  The  first  principles  of  the  oracles  of  God," 
1  Pet.  4:11.  There  is,  therefore,  no  necessity  for  restricting  the  word 
here  either  to  the  prophecies  or  promises  of  God.  It  is  to  be  understood 
of  all  his  divine  communications,  i.  e.  of  the  Scriptures. 

(3)  But  what  if  some  did  not  believe  ?  Shall  their  unbelief  make  the 
faith  of  God  without  effect  ?  This  verse  may  express  the  sentiment  of 
the  apostle,  or  that  of  an  objector.  If  the  former,  it  may  be  explained 
thus :  '  The  advantages  of  the  Jews  are  very  great,  and  even  if,  as  I  have 
proved  to  be  the  case,  many  of  them  are  unfaithful,  this  does  not  invali- 
date the  promises  of  God,  or  render  less  conspicuous  the  favours  which 
they  have  received  at  his  hand.  Of  them  the  Messiah  has  been  born; 
through  them  the  true  religion  is  to  be  spread  abroad ;  and  they,  as  a 
nation,  shall  be  ultimately  restored,'  &c.  But  this  interpretation  does 
not  suit  the  context,  nor  the  drift  of  the  apostle's  reasoning. 

It  seems  more  natural  to  consider  this  verse  as  expressing  the  senti- 
ment of  an  objector,  and  that  which  follows  as  the  apostle's  answer. 
The  objection  is,  that  Paul's  doctrine  of  the  exposure  of  the  Jews  to 
condemnation  is  inconsistent  with  God's  promises.  '  What  if  we  have 
been  unfaithful,  or  are  as  disobedient  and  wicked  as  you  would  make  us 
appear,  does  that  invalidate  the  promises  of  God  1  Must  he  be  unfaith- 
ful too  ?  Has  he  not  promised  to  be  our  God,  and  that  we  should  be  his 
people?  These  are  promises  not  suspended  on  our  good  or  evil  con- 
duct.' In  favour  of  this  view  it  may  be  urged  that  it  was  obviously  one 
of  the  great  grounds  of  confidence  of  the  Jews,  that  they  were  the  pecu- 
liar people  of  God.  Their  great  objection  to  Paul's  applying  his  g-ene- 
ral  principles  of  justice  to  their  case  was  that  they  were  not  to  be  dealt 
with  like  other  men.  '  God  has  chosen  us  as  his  covenant  people  in 
Abraham.  If  we  retain  our  relation  to  him  by  circumcision  and  the  ob- 
servance of  the  law,  we  shall  never  be  treated  or  condemned  as  the  Gen- 
tiles.' Traces  of  this  opinion  are  to  be  seen  in  the  New  Testament,  and 
its  open  avowal  among-  the  Jewish  writers.  Matt.  3:  9,  "Think  not  to 
say  within  yourselves.  We  have  Abraham  for  our  father."  John  8  :  33, 
"  We  be  Abraham's  seed."  See  ch.  2  :  17.  9  :  6,  and  other  passages,  in 
which  Paul  argues  to  prove  that  being  the  natural  descendants  of  Abra- 
ham is  not  enough  to  secure  the  favour  of  God.  That  such  was  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Jews  appears  from  many  passages  of  their  writings,  and 
from  the  testimony  of  the  early  Christians,     ft  was  a  favourite  saying 


64  ROMANS  3  :  1—8. 

of  the  Jews,  "  All  Israel  hath  a  portion  in  eternal  life."  Justin  Martyr 
says,  "  They  suppose  that  to  them  universally,  who  are  of  the  seed  of 
Abraham,  no  matter  how  sinful  and  disobedient  to  God  they  may  be,  the 
eternal  kingdom  shall  be  given."  This  interpretation,  therefore,  makes 
the  verse  in  question  present  the  objection  which  the  Jews  would  be 
most  likely  to  urge.  A  second  consideration  in  its  favour  is,  that  the 
connexion  with  the  following  passage,  vs.  4,  5,  6,  is  thus  made  much 
more  natural  and  easy,  as  will  appear  from  what  follows.  The  words 
rendered  did  not  believe,  and  unbelief,  may,  in  perfect  accordance  with 
their  meaning  elsewhere,  be  rendered  were  unfaithful,  and  unfaithfulness. 
And  this  rendering  is  necessary  to  make  the  verse  harmonious,  and  to 
express  the  apostle's  meaning,  '  What  if  some  were  unfaithful  1  Shall 
their  unfaithfulness  make  the  faithfulness  of  God  without  effect?'  By 
the  Jews  being  unfaithful,  is  not  intended  that  they  did  not  preserve  the 
Scriptures  which  were  committed  to  their  care,  but  that  they  did  not  act 
agreeably  to  the  relations  in  which  they  stood  to  God,  were  not  faithful 
to  their  duties  or  advantages.  It  includes,  therefore,  every  thing  which 
the  apostle  had  charged  upon  them  as  the  ground  of  their  condemnation. 
They  were  unfaithful  to  their  part  of  the  covenant  between  God  and 
themselves. 

4.  God  forbid :  yea,  let  God  be  true,  but  every  vian  a  liar;  as  it  is  writ- 
ten, &c.  The  objection  presented  in  the  preceding  verse  is,  that  the  apos- 
tle's doctrine,  as  to  the  condemnation  of  the  Jews,  is  inconsistent  with 
the  faithfulness  of  God.  'Is  the  faith  of  God  without  effect?'  asks  the 
objector.  '  By  no  means,'  answers  the  apostle  ;  '  such  is  no  fair  infer- 
ence from  my  doctrine  ;  let  God  be  true,  and  every  man  a  liar.  There  is 
no  breach  of  the  promises  of  God  involved  in  the  condemnation  of  wicked 
Jews.  Those  promises  were  made  not  to  the  natural,  but  to  the  spiritual 
seed  of  Abraham,  and  will  all  be  accomplished  to  the  letter,  and,  there- 
fore, are  not  inconsistent  with  the  condemnation  of  the  unbelieving  Jew.' 
All  this,  which  is  stated  and  urged  at  length  in  chs.  9 — 11,  is  included  in 
the  strong  denial  of  the  apostle  that  what  he  had  taught  was  inconsist- 
ent with  the  divine  faithfulness. 

God  forbid.  These  words,  which  occur  so  often  in  our  version,  are  a 
most  unhappy  rendering  of  the  original,  which  means  simply  let  it  not 
he,  equivalent,  therefore,  to  by  no  means,  or  far  from  it.  It  is  a  mode  of 
expression  constantly  used  to  express  a  strong  denial.  The  Scriptures 
do  not  authorize  such  a  use  of  the  name  of  God,  as  this  phrase  shows  to 
have  been  common  among  the  English  translators  of  the  Bible.  True, 
as  used  in  this  verse,  means  faithful,  as  the  context  shows,  and  as  the 
term  elsewhere  signifies,  John  3  :  33,  &c. ;  and  liar  expresses  the  oppo- 
site, unfaithful.  The  sentiment  is,  let  God  be,  i.  e.  be  seen  and  acknow- 
ledged as  faithful,  let  the  consequences  be  what  they  may.  '  This  must 
be  true,  whatever  else  is  false.'  This  disposition  to  justify  God  under 
all  circumstances,  and  at  all  events,  Paul  illustrates  by  the  conduct  of 
David,  who  acknowledged  the  justice  of  God  in  his  own  condemnation. 


ROMANS  3:  1—8.  6# 

and  confesses,  "  Against  thee  only  have  I  sinned ;  that  thou  mighiest  be 
justified  in  thy  sayings,  and  mightest  overcome  when  thou  art  judged," 
i.  e.  that  thy  rectitude,  under  all  circumstances,  might  be  seen  and  ac- 
knowledged. In  this  quotation  Paul  follows  the  Septuagint  translation 
of  Ps.  51  :  4.  The  Hebrew  runs  thus,  '  That  thou  mightest  be  justified 
when  thou  speakest,  and  be  clear  when  thou  judgest.'  The  general  sen- 
timent is  in  either  case  the  same,  v.  12.  God  is  just,  and  will  always 
be  found  to  be  so. 

(5)  But  if  our  unrighteousness  commend  the  righteousness  of  God,  what 
shall  we  say  ?  Is  God  unrighteous,  who  taketh  vengeance  ?  I  speak  as  a 
man.  This  is  another  cavilling  objection  of  the  Jew.  '  Not  only  is 
God's  fidelity  pledged  for  our  salvation,  but  the  very  fact  of  our  being 
unrighteous  will  only  render  his  righteousness  the  more  conspicuous; 
and  consequently  it  would  be  unjust  in  him  to  punish  us  for  what  glori- 
fies himself.'  This  passage  is  somewhat  obscure  from  being  presented 
in  the  interrogative  form,  and  from  being  the  language  of  the  apostle, 
though  expressing  the  sentiment  of  an  objector.  It  is  obvious,  however, 
that  the  point  of  the  argument  is,  that  God  cannot  consistently  punish 
those  whose  unrighteousness  serves  to  display  his  own  rectitude.  It  is 
easy  to  perceive  that  these  objections  all  suppose  the  Jew  to  hav&felt 
secure  within  the  precincts  of  God's  covenant  with  his  forefathers.  The 
fidelity  of  God  rendered  certain  the  bestowing  of  all  promised  blessings; 
and  the  unworthiness  of  the  Jews,  as  it  rendered  the  goodness  and  faith- 
fulness of  God  the  more  conspicuous,  was  no  reason  why  they  should  be 
condemned.  The  words  righteousness  and  unrighteousness  are  generic 
terms,  the  one  including  all  moral  excellence,  and  the  other  just  the  re- 
verse. What,  therefore,  before  and  after,  is  expressed  by  the  more  defi- 
nite terms,  faithfulness  and  unfaithfulness,  truth  and  falsehood,  is  here 
expressed  more  generally.  The  word  rendered  to  commend  signifies 
either  to  recommend,  as  one  person  to  another,  Rom.  16:  1  ;  or  to  exhi- 
bit in  a  conspicuous  manner ;  see  5:8,  "  God  commendeth  his  love  to- 
wards us  ;"  2  Cor.  7  :  11,  "  in  all  things  ye  have  exhibited  yourselves  as 
clear  in  this  matter;"  Gal.  2:  18,  "  I  make  myself  (exhibit  myself)  as 
a  transgressor."  This  is  obviously  the  meaning  of  the  word  in  this  case. 
'  If  our  unrighteousness  render  the  righteousness  of  God  conspicuous, 
what  shall  we  sayT  What  inference  is  to  be  drawn  from  this  fact  I 
Are  we  to  infer  that  God  is  unrighteous  who  taketh  vengeance  T  Far 
from  it.'  The  word  for  vengeance  is  that  which,  in  ch.  1 :  18,  2  :  5,  is  ren- 
dered wrath,  and  here  is  obviously  taken  for  its  effect,  i.  e.  punishment ; 
'who  inflicts  punishment.'  In  order  to  make  it  evident  that  he  was  not 
expressing  his  own  sentiments  in  using  the  language  of  this  verse,  Paul 
adds,  I  speak  as  a  man.  This  phrase,  which  means,  in  general,  '  as  men 
are  accustomed  to  speak'  (or  act),  is  of  frequent  occurrence,  and  is  va- 
riously modified  as  to  its  import  by  the  context.  It  means,  at  times,  '  in 
a  manner  adapted  to  the  comprehension  of  men,'  Rom.  6:19;  as  when 
God  is  said  to  speak  or  act  after  the  manner  of  men ;  or,  secondly,  *  as 

F  2 


66  ROMANS  3:  1—8. 

men  generally  speak  and  act,'  i.  e.  wickedly,  1  Cor.  3:3;  or  as  intro- 
ducing an  example  or  illustration  from  common  life,  1  Cor.  9 :  8.  Gal. 
3  :  15;  or,  as  in  this  instance,  to  intimate  that  the  writer  is  not  uttering 
his  own  sentiments.  *  I  am  not  speaking  in  the  character  of  an  inspired 
man,  but  as  others  are  accustomed  to  speak.'  It  was  the  Jew,  and  not 
the  apostle,  who  argued  that,  because  our  wickedness  rendered  the  good- 
ness of  God  the  more  conspicuous,  therefore  he  could  not  punish  us. 
Paul,  in  answer  to  this  reasoning,  and  to  the  question  whether,  under 
such  circumstances,  God  is  unrighteous  in  taking  vengeance,  says  : 

(6)  God  forbid^  for  then  how  shall  God  judge  the  world?  The  apos- 
tle denies  that  there  is  the  least  ground  for  this  objection,  and  shows 
that,  if  it  is  well  founded,  God  cannot  judge  the  world  at  all.  By  the 
world  is  not  to  be  understood  any  one  class  exclusively,  but  men  in  ge- 
neral ;  though  the  Gentiles  may  have  been  specially  intended.  It  is 
obvious  that  all  men  would  escape  punishment,  if  the  principle  were 
once  admitted  that  God  cannot  punish  any  whose  wickedness  might  be 
the  occasion  of  magnifying  any  of  his  perfections. 

The  word  for  judge  may  be  taken  either  generally,  '  how  can  he  exer- 
cise the  office  of  a  judge  over  the  world ;'  or  in  the  sense  of  condemning, 
'how  can  he  condemn  the  world.'  The  world  would  then  mean  spe- 
cially the  heathen,  as  opposed  to  the  Jews,  the  nominal  people  of  God. 
This  term  is  often  used  in  opposition  to  the  church,  or  followers  of  Jesus 
Christ,  as  in  John  15 :  18,  '  If  the  world  hate  j'^ou,'  'If  ye  were  of  the 
world,'  &c.     The  former  interpretation  is,  however,  the  more  natural. 

(7)  For  if  the  truth  of  God  hath  more  abounded  through  my  lie  unto 
his  glory ^  why  yet  am  I  also  judged  as  a  sinner  ?  This  is  a  repeti- 
tion, in  a  more  definite  form,  of  the  sentiment  of  the  fifth  verse.  There 
the  general  terms  righteousness  and  unrighteousness  were  used,  here 
the  more  specific  ones,  truth  and  falsehood.  The  sentiment  is  the  same. 
Paul  assumes  the  person  of  the  objector,  and  asks,  '  Can  I  be  justly 
treated  as  a  sinner  when,  through  my  lie,  or  unfaithfulness  to  the  cove- 
nant, the  truth  or  fidelity  of  God  is  the  more  conspicuously  displayed  to 
his  glory  V  The  truth  of  God  may  be  taken  as  a  general  term  of  excel- 
lence ;  see  2 :  8,  where  truth  is  the  opposite  of  unrighteousness  ,•  or,  in 
the  sense  of  veracity,  adherence  to  promises;  compare  ch.  15:  8.  The 
word  for  lie  is  of  course  the  opposite  of  the  former,  and  means  perfdy, 
want  of  fidelity.  The  particular  term  here  used  occurs  nowhere  else  in 
the  New  Testament. 

Hath  more  abounded,  i.  e.  '  appeared  as  more  abundant,'  '  been  seen  as 
such ;'  or  the  word  may  be  taken  in  the  sense  of  excelling,  as  in  Matt.  5  : 
20,  "  unless  your  righteousness  excel  the  righteousness  of  the  scribes,'* 
&c. ;  1  Cor.  8:8,  "  neither  if  we  eat  are  we  the  better,"  &c.  '  If  God's 
truth  is  the  greater,  the  more  conspicuous,  &c.  to  his  glory ;'  i.  e.  so  that 
he  is  glorified.  Why  am  J  yet  also  judged  as  a  sinner ;  i.  e.  condemned, 
or  punished  as  such. 


ROMANS  3:  1—18.  Qf 

(8)  And  not  rather  (os  ive  he  slanderously  reported^  and  as  some  affirm 
that  we  say)  Let  us  do  evil,  that  good  may  come  ?  whose  damnation  is  just. 
The  sense  of  this  verse  is  obvious,  though  the  grammalica]  construction 
of  the  original  is  irregular.  One  of  the  simplest  and  most  common  me- 
thods of  resolving  the  passage,  is  to  supply  the  word  say.  '  Why  not 
say  at  once  (as  some  slanderously  affirm  that  we  say)  Let  us  do  evil  that 
good  may  come.'  A  second  method  is  the  following :  '  Why  not  let  us  do 
evil  that  good  may  come,  as  some  slanderously  affirm  that  we  teach.'  Paul 
here,  most  probably,  as  often  elsewhere,  changes  the  construction  of  the 
sentence  in  his  progress  through  it;  see  Gal.  2:  3 — 5.  He  seems  to 
have  intended  to  say,  '  Why  not  let  us  do  evil,  &c. ;'  but  having  inter- 
rupted himself,  he  makes  the  latter  clause  grammatically  dependent  on 
the  word  say  m  the  parenthesis,  instead  of  connecting  it  with  the  words 
with  which  the  sentence  commences.  It,  therefore,  stands  thus,  'And 
why  not  (as  some  slanderously  affirm  that  we  say)  that  we  may  do  evil 
that  good  may  come.'  Our  version  skilfully  avoids  the  difficulty,  and  pre- 
sents the  meaning  clearly. 

Whose  condemnation,  &c.,  that  is,  the  condemnation  of  those  who 
adopt  the  principle,  that  it  is  right  to  do  evil  that  good  may  come ;  not 
those  who  slandered  the  apostle.  This  verse  contains  Paul's  answer  to 
the  principle  on  which  the  wicked  Jews  hoped  for  exemption  from  pu- 
nishment. '  Our  unfaithfulness  serves  to  commend  the  faithfulness  of 
God,  therefore  we  ought  not  to  be  punished.'  According  to  this  reason- 
ing, Paul  answers,  '  The  worse  we  are  the  better.  For  the  more  wicked 
we  are,  the  more  conspicuous  will  be  the  mercy  of  God  in  our  pardon  ; 
we  may,  therefore,  do  evil  that  good  may  come.'  Paul,  frequently,  as 
here,  recognises  the  authority  of  the  instinctive  moral  feelings  of  men. 
He  has  reduced  the  reasoning  of  the  Jews  to  a  conclusion  shocking  to  the 
moral  sense,  and  has  thereby  refuted  it.  Having  thus  demonstrated  that 
the  Jews  cannot  expect  exemption  on  the  ground  of  being  the  peculiar 
people  of  God,  except  on  principles  incompatible  with  the  government 
of  the  world,  and  inconsistent  with  the  plainest  moral  truths,  he  draws, 
in  the  next  verse,  the  conclusion,  that  the  Jew,  as  to  the  matter  of  justi- 
fication, has  no  pre-eminence  over  the  Gentile. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  The  advantages  of  membership,  even  of  the  external  church,  and  of 
a  participation  of  its  ordinances,  are  very  numerous  and  great,  vs.  1,  2. 

2.  The  great  advantage  of  the  Christian  over  the  heathen  world,  and 
of  the  members  of  a  visible  ecclesiastical  body  over  others  not  so  situated, 
is  the  greater  amount  of  divine  truth  presented  to  their  understandings 
and  hearts,  v.  2. 

3.  All  the  writings  which  the  Jews,  at  the  time  of  Christ  and  his  apos- 
tles, regarded  as  inspired,  are  really  the  word  of  God,  v.  2. 

4.  No  promise  or  covenant  of  God  can  ever  be  rightfully  urged  in 
favour  of  exemption  from  the  punishment  of  sin,  or  of  impunity  to  those 


C8  ROMANS  3;  9—20. 

who  live  in  it.     God  is  faithful  to  his  promises,  but  he  never  promif^es  to 
pardon  the  impenitently  guilty,  vs.  3,  4. 

5.  God  will  make  the  wrath  of  men  to  praise  him.  Their  unrighteous- 
ness will  commend  his  righteousness,  without,  on  that  account,  making 
its  condemnation  less  certain  or  less  severe,  vs.  5,  6. 

6.  Any  doctrine  inconsistent  with  the  first  principles  of  morals  must  be 
false,  no  matter  how  plausible  the  metaphysical  argument  in  its  favour. 
And  that  mode  of  reasoning  is  correct,  which  refutes  such  doctrines  by 
showing  their  inconsistency  with  moral  truth,  v.  8. 

REMARKS. 

1.  We  should  feel  the  peculiar  responsibilities  which  rest  upon  us  as 
the  inhabitants  of  a  Christian  country,  as  the  members  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  possessors  of  the  word  of  God ;  as  such,  we  enjoy  advan- 
tages for  which  we  shall  have  to  render  a  strict  account,  vs.  1,  2. 

2.  It  is  a  mark  of  genuine  piety,  to  be  disposed  always  to  justify  God 
and  to  condemn  ourselves.  On  the  other  hand,  a  disposition  to  self-justi- 
fication and  the  extenuation  of  our  sins,  however  secret,  is  an  indication 
of  a  want  of  a  proper  sense  of  our  own  unworthiness  and  of  the  divine 
excellence,  vs.  4,  5. 

3.  Beware  of  any  refuge  from  the  fear  of  future  punishment,  founded 
upon  the  hope  that  God  will  clear  the  guilty,  or  that  he  will  not  judge 
the  world  and  take  vengeance  for  our  sins,  vs.  6,  7. 

4.  There  is  no  better  evidence  against  the  truth  of  any  doctrine,  than 
that  its  tendency  is  immoral.  And  there  is  no  greater  proof  that  a  man 
is  wicked,  that  his  condemnation  is  just,  than  that  he  does  evil  that  good 
may  come.  There  is  commonly,  in  such  cases,  not  only  the  evil  of  the 
act  committed,  but  that  of  hypocrisy  and  duplicity  also,  v.  8. 

5.  Speculative  and  moral  truths,  which  are  believed  on  their  own  evi- 
dence as  soon  as  they  are  presented  to  the  mind,  should  be  regarded  as 
authoritative  and  as  fixed  points  in  all  reasonings.  When  men  deny 
such  first  principles,  or  attempt  to  push  beyond  them  to  a  deeper  founda- 
tion of  truth,  there  is  no  end  to  the  obscurity,  uncertainty,  and  absurdity 
of  their  speculations.  What  God  forces  us  from  the  very  constitution  of 
our  nature  to  believe,  as,  for  example,  the  existence  of  the  external  world, 
our  own  personal  identity,  the  difference  between  good  and  evil,  &c.,  it 
is  at  once  a  violation  of  his  will  and  of  the  dictates  of  reason  to  deny  or 
to  question.  Paul  assumed,  as  an  ultimate  fact,  that  it  is  wrong  to  do  evil 
that  good  may  come,  v.  8. 

CHAP.  3:  9—20. 

^What  then  1  are  we  better  than  they  ?  No,  in  no  wise  :  for  we  have 
before  proved  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  that  they  are  all  under  sin; 
^^as  it  is  written.  There  is  none  righteous,  no,  not  one :  ^Hhere  is  none 
that  understandeth,  there  is  none  that  seeketh  after  God.     ^'^They  are  all 


ROMANS  3  :  9—20.  69 

gone  out  of  the  way,  they  are  together  become  unprofitable  ;  there  is  none 
that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one.  ^^Their  throat  is  an  open  sepulchre  ;  with 
their  tongues  they  have  used  deceit;  the  poison  of  asps  is  under  their 
lips:  "whose  mouth  is  full  of  cursing  and  bitterness:  ^^their  feet  are 
swift  to  shed  blood:  ^^destrucfion  and  misery  are  in  their  ways: 
^''and  the  way  of  peace  have  they  not  known :  ^^there  is  no  fear  of 
God  before  their  eyes.  *^Now  we  know  that  what  things  soever  the 
law  saith,  it  saith  to  them  who  are  under  the  law :  that  every  mouth 
may  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world  may  become  guilty  before  God. 
^''Therefore  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  there  shall  no  flesh  be  justified  in 
his  sight :  for  by  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin. 

ANALYSIS. 

The  apostle,  having  answered  the  objections  to  his  argument  in  proof 
that  the  Jews,  being  sinners  in  the  sight  of  God,  are,  as  such,  exposed  to 
condemnation,  draws,  in  v.  9,  the  obvious  conclusion,  that  they  have,  as 
to  the  matter  of  justification,  no  pre-eminence  over  the  Gentile.  He  con- 
firms his  doctrine  of  the  universal  sinfulness  of  men,  by  numerous  quota- 
tions from  the  Old  Testament.  These  passages  are  descriptive  of  their 
depravity  in  the  general,  vs.  10 — 12;  and  then  of  its  special  manifesta- 
tions in  sins  of  the  tongue,  vs.  13,  14,  and  sins  of  conduct,  vs.  15 — 18. 
The  conclusion  of  all  this  reasoning,  from  consciousness,  experience,  and 
Scripture,  is  that  "  all  the  world  is  guilty  before  God,"  v.  19  ;  and  the 
necessary  consequence,  "  no  flesh  can  be  justified  by  the  deeds  of  the 
law,"  v.  20. 

COMMENTARY. 

(9)  What  then  ?  are  we  better  than  they  ?  JVb,  in  no  wise.  '  What 
then,'  asks  the  apostle,  '  is  the  conclusion  from  all  this  reasoning  as  to 
the  moral  state  and  character  of  the  Jews  and  Gentiles?  Are  we  Jews 
better  off,  or  more  favourably  situated  than  they  1  By  no  means.'  Our 
version  of  the  word  rendered  are  toe  better,  expresses,  perhaps  with  sufll* 
cient  accuracy,  the  meaning  of  the  apostle.  The  word  probably  signi- 
fies here  do  we  excel,  and  as  the  connexion  shows,  do  we  excel  as  to  the 
point  under  discussion,  are  we  more  favourably  situated  as  to  obtaining 
the  divine  favour?  That,  as  to  other  points,  the  .Tew  did  excel,  or  had 
many  advantages,  Paul  had  freely  admitted,  but  as  to  his  justification 
before  God,  he  and  the  Gentiles  stood  on  precisely  the  same  level. 

The  reason  why  the  Jews  are  declared  to  be  no  better  off"  than  the 
Gentiles,  as  far  as  justification  is  concerned,  is  given  in  the  next  clause. 
For  tve  have  before  proved  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  that  they  are  all  under 
sin.  The  word  rendered  to  prove  signifies  to  bring  a  charge  against  any 
one  ;  and  here,  to  substantiate  an  accusation.  Paul  had  not  only  accused, 
but  established  the  truth  of  the  accusation,  that  the  Jews  and  Gentiles 
were  all  under  sin.  This  latter  phrase  may  signify  to  be  under  the  power 
of  sin  i  or  under  its  guilt,  as  the  word  sin  often  signifies  guilt  of  sin, 


70  ROMANS  3  :  9—20. 

see  1  Cor.  15:  17.  John  15:  22;  compare  such  passages  as  Gal.  3:  10. 
Rom.  6:  14.  7:  14,  &c.  &c.  Both  ideas  are  here  probably  included, 
Paul  had  proved  that  all  were  sinners,  that  is,  corrupt  and  exposed  to 
condemnation. 

Verses  10 — 18  contain  the  confirmation  of  the  truth  of  the  universal 
sinfulness  of  men,  by  the  testimony  of  Scripture.  These  passages  are 
not  to  be  found  consecutively  in  any  one  place  in  the  Old  Testament,  but 
are  quoted  from  several.  Verses  10 — 12  are  from  Ps.  14  or  53:  v.  13, 
from  Ps.  5:  9 ;  v.  14,  from  Ps.  10 :  7  ;  vs.  15—17,  from  Isa.  59 :  7,  8; 
and  V.  18,  from  Ps.  3G :  1.  These  passages,  it  vv^ill  be  perceived,  are  of 
two  classes;  the  one  general,  descriptive  of  the  whole  human  race  as 
wicked  ;  the  other  special,  referring  to  particular  prevalent  sinful  acts  as 
evidence  of  the  general  sinfulness  of  men,  on  the  principle  '  by  their 
fruits  ye  shall  know  them.'  This  method  of  reasoning  is  legitimate  and 
common.  The  national  character  of  any  people  is  proved  by  a  reference 
to  the  special  acts  by  which  it  is  manifested.  It  is  not  necessary  that 
every  inhabitant  of  France,  for  example,  should  manifest  his  gayety  by 
dancing,  to  make  the  argument  good  from  the  prevalence  of  this  amuse- 
ment, that  gayety  is  a  national  trait  of  the  French  character.  So  it  is  no* 
necessary  to  prove  that  every  man  manifests  his  wickedness  by  shedding 
blood,  to  make  the  prevalence  of  this  and  kindred  crimes  a  proof  that  men 
are,  as  a  race,  corrupt. 

(10)  Js  it  is  written  :  There  is  none  righteous,  no,  not  one.  This  is 
a  general  declaration  of  the  universal  wickedness  of  men.  The  two  ideas 
contained  in  this  proposition  are  expressed  in  the  following  verses.  All 
are  destitute  of  piety,  v.  11 ;  and  all  are  consequently  immoral,  v.  12. 

(11)  There  is  none  that  understand eth,  i.  e.  who  sees  things  in  theii 
true  nature ;  who  has  right  apprehensions  of  God.  Right  views  of  truth 
are  uniformly,  because  necessarily  attended  with  right  affections  towards 
it.  Hence,  '  understanding'  is  in  the  Scriptures  so  often  used  for  reli- 
gion, see  the  note  on  ch.  1  :  21 ;  and  hence,  as  an  amplification  of  the 
phrase,  '  there  is  none  that  understandeth,'  Paul  adds,  there  is  none  that 
seeketh  after  God,  which  expresses  all  those  exercises  of  desire  and  wor- 
ship, consequent  on  the  discovery  of  the  divine  excellence. 

(12)  Thei/  are  all  gone  out  of  the  way.  Blinded  by  sin  to  the  per- 
fections and  loveliness  of  God  and  truth,  they  have  turned  from  the  way 
which  he  has  prescribed,  and  which  leads  to  himself,  and  have  made 
choice  of  another  way  and  of  another  portion.  They  are  together  become 
unprofitable,  i.  e.  useless,  worthless,  corrupt.  The  last  is  the  literal 
meaning  of  the  Hebrew  word  used  in  the  passage  quoted,  Ps.  11:3. 
There  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one.  Universal  corruption  of  mo- 
rals is  the  consequence  of  universal  apostasy  from  God,  see  ch.  1  :  24, 
26,  28. 

(13,  14)  These  verses  present  that  evidence  of  the  sinfulness  of  men 
which  consists  in  the  universal  prevalence,  under  some  form  or  other,  of 
evil  speaking.     Their  throat  is  an  open  sepulchre,  i.  e.  from  their  throat 


ROMANS  3:  9—20.  71 

issue  words  as  offensive  and  pestiferous  as  the  tainted  breath  of  an  open 
grave;  or,  what  from  the  next  clause  may  appear  probable,  'their  throat 
is  always  open,  and  ready  to  devour  like  the  insatiable  and  insidious, 
grave.'  They  injure  by  deceit  and  slander,  which  is  the  poison  of  asps. 
Their  moidh  is  full  of  cursing  and  bitterness,  i.  e.  of  bitter  execration, 
expressive  of  malignity  towards  men,  and  impiety  towards  God. 

(15 — 17)  Contain  the  arguments  for  the  apostle's  doctrine,  derived 
from  the  prevalence  of  sins  of  violence.  Their  feet  are  swift  to  shed 
blood  ;  they  frequently,  and  without  compunction,  commit  murder  and 
violence.  Destruction  and  misery  are  in  their  ways,  i.  e.  mark  their 
path.  The  way  of  peace  they  have  not  known.  '  The  way  of  peace' 
means  the  way  which  leads  to  peace  or  happiness.  Here  the  happiness 
of  others  is  principally  intended.  '  They  do  not  pursue  that  course 
which  is  productive  of  happiness.'  This  clause,  therefore,  includes  all 
the  manifestations  of  an  evil  heart,  which  are  seen  in  the  numberless 
ways  in  which  men  injure  their  fellow-creatures. 

(18)  Is  again  a  general  declaration  of  unrestrained  wickedness. 
There  is  no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes.  They  are  not  actuated  by 
any  regard  to  the  will  or  displeasure  of  God.  Religious  considerations 
have  no  force  in  the  government  of  their  conduct. 

(19)  Kow  we  know  that  what  things  soever  the  law  saith,  it  saith  to 
them  that  are  under  the  law.  The  Hebrew  word  usually  translated 
law  means  instruction,  and  is  used  for  any  intimation  of  the  will  of  God 
designed  for  the  direction  of  men  ;  see  Isa.  1 :  10.  8  :  16.  Prov.  1  :  8,  &c. 
&c.  It  depends  on  the  context  whether  reference  be  had  to  the  general 
rule  of  duty  which  he  has  prescribed,  or  to  some  one  of  its  parts  more  or 
less  extended".  In  like  manner  the  apostle  uses  the  corresponding  Greek 
word  almost  uniformly  in  the  sense  of  the  rule  of  duty ;  whether  written 
in  the  heart,  contained  in  the  whole  of  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, or  in  some  of  its  parts.  It  is  generally  easy,  from  the  context,  to 
determine  what  law,  or  rather  what  part  of  the  law,  or  rule  of  duty,  he 
has  in  each  case  specially  in  view.  Here  it  is  obvious  that  the  law 
means  the  Scriptures  which  contain  the  will  of  God  revealed  for  our 
obedience.  These  passages  quoted  above  are  taken  not  from  the  Penta- 
teuch, or  law,  in  its  more  restricted  sense,  but  from  the  Psalms  and  pro- 
phets;  see  John  10  :  34.  1  Cor.  14:  21,  &c.  Those  who  are  under  the 
law,  see  2  :  12.  1  Cor.  9  :  20.  *  What  the  Scriptures  say  concerning  the 
character  of  men,  they  must  be  understood  as  saying  of  those  to  whom 
they  are  specially  directed.'  The  Jews  cannot  pretend  that  the  passages 
quoted  above  have  reference  to  the  Gentiles ;  being  found  in  their  own 
law,  and  addressed  to  them,  they  must  be  considered  as  indicating  the 
light  in  which  their  character  and  conduct  were  viewed  by  God. 

That  every  mouth  may  be  stopped,  i.  e.  that  men  may  be  deprived  of 
all  excuse,  completely  reduced  to  silence.  And  the  whole  world  become 
guilty  before  God.  The  word  rendered  guilty  is  applied  to  one  who  has 
lost  his  cause,  or  who  has  been  convicted,  or  found  guilty.     The  result, 


72  ROMANS  3  :  9—20. 

therefore,  at  which  the  apostle  has  arrived,  the  conclusion  of  his  argu- 
ment, from  consciousness,  experience,  and  Scripture,  is  that  the  whole 
world  is  g"uilty  before  God.,  i.  e.  in  his  judgnnent  or  estimation.  The 
whole  world  must,  in  this  connexion,  include  both  Jews  and  Gentiles, 
because  the  preceding-  argument  had  related  to  both  classes,  and  in  what 
follows  reference  is  also  had  to  both. 

(20)  Therefore  hy  the  deeds  of  the  law  shall  no  jiesh  be  justified  in  his 
sight,  &c.  The  apostle,  having  proved  that  all  men  are  sinners,  draws 
in  this  verse  the  conclusion  that  no  man  can  be  justified  by  the  deeds  of 
the  law.  To  justify  is  obviously  a  forensic  term,  and  signifies  to  pro- 
nounce, regard,  and  treat  as  just  or  righteous.  The  declaration  of  the 
apostle  is,  that  no  man  can  be  pronounced  and  treated  as  righteous  on  the 
ground  of  his  own  obedience  to  the  law.  The  expression  contained  in 
this  verse  is  borrowed  from  Ps.  143  :  2.  "  Enter  not  into  judgment  with 
thy  servant  (bring  him  not  to  trial)  ;  for  in  thy  sight  (before  thee  as 
judge)  shall  no  man  living  be  justified."  This  passage  also  serves  to 
illustrate  the  nature  of  justification.  The  word  signifying  to  be  right- 
eous does  not  so  properly  express  the  moral  character  of  those  to  whom  it 
is  applied  as  their  relation  to  the  law.  It  therefore  often  means  to  be  in 
the  right,  to  have  the  law  on  one's  side,  to  be  what  the  law  requires ; 
see  Gen.  38  :  26,  "  She  is  more  in  the  right  than  I ;"  Job  9  :  15,  "  Though 
I  were  in  the  right  1  would  not  answer."  Hence  to  justify  is  to  pro- 
nounce one  to  be  in  the  right,  to  be  such  as  the  law  requires,  and  entitled 
to  be  treated  accordingly ;  see  Job  33  :  32,  "  Speak,  for  I  desire  to  jus- 
tify thee,"  i.  e.  to  pronounce  thee  to  be  what  the  law  demands ;  Isa.  5  :  23, 
«' Which  justify  the  wicked  for  jeward,"  &c.  What  Paul,  therefore, 
affirms  in  this  verse  is,  that  no  man  can,  in  the  sight  of  God,  be  regarded 
as  righteous,  and  entitled  to  be  treated  as  such,  on  the  ground  of  his 
obedience  to  the  law. 

Deeds  of  the  law  are,  of  course,  such  deeds  as  the  law  prescribes.  The 
law  of  which  Paul  here  speaks  is  the  will  of  God  revealed  for  man's 
obedience,  the  universal  rule  of  duty,  see  v.  19.  That  it  is  not  to  be  re- 
stricted to  the  Mosaic  law,  as  though  ceremonial  works  alone  were  in- 
tended, is  evident,  1.  Because  Paul  is  here  speaking  of  "the  whole 
world,"  of  "  all  flesh,"  of  Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews.  The  former  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  Mosaic  law.  Why  should  Paul  affirm  that  they 
could  not  be  justified  by  a  law  which  was  never  obligatory  upon  them  % 

2.  He  had  just  used  the  word  law,  not  in  reference  to  the  Mosaic  insti- 
tutions, but  to  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament  which  contained  the 
whole  revealed  will  of  God.  The  works  of  which  he  speaks  are  works 
prescribed  by  this  law,  and  comprehend,  of  course,  all  moral  duties. 

3.  The  Jews  never  made  the  distinction  between  the  moral  and  ceremo- 
nial law,  which  the  opposite  interpretation  supposes.  To  them  obe- 
dience to  the  Mosaic  ritual  was  as  much  a  moral  duty  as  any  thing  else 
could  be.  They  certainly,  therefore,  would  understand  the  apostle  as 
meaning,  by  the  phrase  "  works  of  the  law,"  works  of  ohedience  to 


ROMANS  3  :  9—20.  73 

God  generally  ;  consequently  this  must  be  his  meaning.  4.  There  is  in 
fact  no  ground  for  the  distinction  in  reference  to  this  case ;  because  obe- 
dience to  the  divine  command  is  always  a  moral  act,  whether  that  com- 
mand be  ?i  positive  one,  or  have  its  foundation  in  the  reason  and  nature  of 
things.  5.  The  whole  context,  and  drift,  and  object  of  the  epistle  re- 
quire this  interpretation.  The  M'orks  of  the  Jews  and  Gentiles  of  which 
he  had  been  speaking  were  moral  works ;  the  law  which  they  had  broken 
was  the  moral  law ;  it  is  that  law  which  he  proves  can  neither  justify 
nor  sanctify,  wiiich  produces  conviction  of  sin,  which  says,  *  Thou  shalt 
not  covet,'  which  is  '  holy,  just,  and  good,'  and  which  is  exceeding 
broad.  6.  The  objections  to  Paul's  doctrine  all  suppose  the  moral  law 
to  be  here  intended.  In  the  sixth  chapter  the  objection,  which  the  apos- 
tle answers,  is  not  that  the  neglect  of  the  law  of  Moses  must  lead  to 
licentiousness,  but  that  if  good  works  are  not  necessary  to  salvation,  as 
the  ground  of  our  acceptance,  men  w^ill  live  in  sin.  7.  What  is  here 
said  of  works  of  the  law,  is  elsewhere  said  of  w^orks  generally ;  2  Tim. 
1:9,  "  Who  hath  saved  us  not  according  to  (or  on  account  of)  our 
works ;"  Tit.  3 :  5,  "  Not  by  works  of  righteousness  which  we  have 
done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he  hath  saved  us ;"  Eph.  2:9,  "  We 
are  saved  by  faith,  not  by  works ;"  see  Rom.  4  :  2,  &c.  &c.  This  point 
has  been  dwelt  on  at  greater  length,  because  it  is  one  of  the  hinges  to 
the  exposition  of  the  epistle,  and  of  the  whole  plan  of  the  gospel. 

Most  of  the  arguments  here  mentioned  are  valid  against  the  doctrine 
of  many  of  the  Catholic  divines,  that  Paul  has  reference  to  works  done 
before  regeneration  merely,  and  not  to  those  which  flow  from  a  renewed 
heart.  It  is  not  Paul's  doctrine  that  we  are  justified  not  by  legal  works, 
but  by  good  works,  for  "  the  works  of  the  law"  include  good  works  of 
every  kind,  works  of  righteousness,  i.  e.  of  the  highest  kind  of 
excellence.  Besides,  this  view  of  the  subject  is  entirely  inconsistent 
with  the  doctrine  which  the  apostle  is  labouring  to  establish,  viz.  that 
the  ground  of  the  sinner's  acceptance  is  not  in  himself;  it  is  nothing  sub- 
jective, no  state  of  mind,  no  works  of  morality  or  form,  nothing  pro- 
duced in  him  or  done  by  him,  but  something  done  for  him,  which  he 
must  accept,  and  on  which  he  must  rely. 

For  hy  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin.  As  the  law  was  not  designed 
or  adapted  for  the  justification  of  sinners,  Paul  briefly  stated  its  real 
object  and  use.  The  law  produces  the  recognition  of  sin  in  its  true 
nature  and  consequences.  It  leads  to  the  conviction  of  its  exceeding 
turpitude,  and  desert  of  punishment.  When  the  law  has  produced  this 
result,  it  has  prepared  us  for  the  reception  of  the  gospel. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  However  men  may  differ  among  themselves  as  to  individual 
character,  as  to  outward  circumstances,  religious  or  social,  when  they 
appear  at  the  bar  of  God,  all  stand  on  the  same  level.  All  are  sinners, 
and,  being  sinners,  are  exposed  to  condemnation,  v.  9. 

G 


74  ROMANS  3:  21—31. 

2.  The  general  declarations  of  the  Scriptures  descriptive  of  the  charac- 
ter of  men,  before  the  advent  of  Christ,  are  applicable  to  men  in  all  ages 
of  the  world,  because  they  describe  human  nature.  They  declare  what 
fallen  man  is.  As  we  recognise  the  descriptions  of  .the  human  heart, 
given  by  profane  writers  a  thousand  years  ago,  as  suited  to  its  present 
character,  so  the  inspired  description  suits  us,  as  well  as  those  for  whom 
it  was  originally  intended,  vs.  10 — 18. 

3.  Piety  and  morality  cannot  be  separated.  If  men  do  not  understand, 
if  they  have  no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes,  they  become  altogether  un- 
profitable, there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  vs.  10 — 12. 

4.  The  office  of  the  law  is  neither  to  justify  nor  to  sanctify.  It  con- 
vinces and  condemns.  All  efforts  to  secure  the  favour  of  God,  therefore, 
by  legal  obedience,  must  be  vain,  v.  20. 

REMARKS. 

1.  As  God  regards  the  moral  character  in  men,  and  as  we  are  all  sin- 
ners, no  one  has  any  reason  to  exalt  himself  over  another.  With  our 
hands  upon  our  mouth,  and  our  mouth  in  the  dust,  we  must  all  appear  as 
guilty  before  God,  v.  9. 

2.  The  Scriptures  are  the  message  of  God  to  all  to  whom  they  come. 
They  speak  general  truths  which  are  intended  to  apply  to  all  to  whom 
they  are  applicable.  What  they  say  of  sinners,  as  such,  they  say  of  all 
sinners :  what  they  promise  to  believers,  they  promise  to  all  believers. 
They  should,  therefore,  ever  be  read  with  a  spirit  of  self-application,  vs. 
10—18. 

3.  To  be  prepared  for  the  reception  of  the  gospel,  we  must  be  convinced 
of  sin,  humbled  under  a  sense  of  its  turpitude,  silenced  under  a  convic- 
tion of  its  condemning  power,  and  prostrated  at  the  footstool  of  mercy, 
under  a  feeling  that  we  cannot  satisfy  the  demands  of  the  law,  that  if 
ever  saved,  it  must  be  by  other  merit  and  other  power  than  our  own, 
V.  20. 

CHAP.  3:  21—31. 

2*But  now  the  righteousness  of  God  without  the  law  is  manifested,  being 
•witnessed  by  the  law  and  the  prophets  ;  ^'^even  the  righteousness  of  God 
which  is  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  unto  all  and  upon  all  them  that  believe  : 
for  there  is  no  difference  :  ^^for  all  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory 
of  God  ;  ^^being  justified  freely  by  his  grace  through  the  redemption  that  is 
in  Christ  Jesus :  ^s^hom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through 
faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins 
that  are  past,  through  the  forbearance  of  God  ;  "ho  declare,  I  say,  at  this 
time  his  righteousness:  that  he  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him 
which  believeth  in  Jesus.  ^7 Where  fs  boasting  then?  It  is  excluded. 
By  what  law  T  of  works  1  Nay  :  but  by  the  law  of  faith,  ^sfherefore 
we  conclude  that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith  without  the  deeds  of  tho 
law.     29/5  he  the  God  of  the  Jews  only  1  ia  he  not  also  of  the  Gentiles'? 


ROMANS  3  :  21—31.  75 

Yes,  of  the  Gentiles  also,  ^ogggjj^g  n  ig  q^iq  God,  which  shall  justify 
the  circumcision  by  faith,  and  uncircumcision  through  faith.  ^^Do  we 
then  make  void  the  law  through  faith  1  God  forbid  :  yea,  we  establish 
the  law. 


Having  proved  that  justification,  on  the  ground  of  legal  obedience  or 
personal  merit,  is  for  all  men  impossible,  Paul  proceeds  to  unfold  the  me- 
thod of  salvation  presented  in  the  gospel.  With  regard  to  this  method, 
he  here  teaches,  1.  Its  nature.  2.  The  ground  on  which  the  offer  of  jus- 
tification is  made.     3.  Its  object.     4.  Its  results. 

I.  As  to  its  nature,  he  teaches,  I.  That  the  righteousness  which  it  pro- 
poses is  not  attainable  by  works,  but  by  faith,  vs.  21,  22.  2.  That  it 
is  adapted  to  all  men,  Jews  as  well  as  Gentiles,  since  there  is  no  differ- 
ence as  to  their  moral  state,  vs.  22,  23.  3.  It  is  entirely  gratuitous, 
V.  24. 

II.  As  to  its  ground,  it  is  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  or 
Jesus  Christ  as  a  propitiatory  sacrifice,  vs.  24,  25. 

'  III.  Its  object  is  the  display  of  the  divine  perfections,  and  the  reconcili- 
ation of  the  justice  of  God,  with  the  exhibition  of  mercy  to  the  sinner, 
v.  2G. 

IV.  Its  results.  1.  It  humbles  man  by  excluding  all  ground  of  boast- 
ing, vs.  27,  28.  2.  It  presents  God  in  his  true  character  as  the  God  and 
father  of  all  men,  of  the  Gentile  no  less  than  the  Jew,  vs.  29,  30.  3.  It 
confirms  the  law,  v.  31. 

COMMENTARY. 

(21)  But  now  the  righteousness  of  God  without  the  law  is  manifested,  &c. 
Having  demonstrated  that  no  flesh  could  be  justified  by  the  deeds  of  the 
law  in  the  sight  of  God,  the  apostle  proceeds  to  show  how  the  sinner  can 
be  justified.  With  regard  to  this  point,  he  teaches,  in  this  verse,  1.  That 
the  righteousness  which  is  acceptable  to  God  is  not  a  legal  righteous- 
ness ;  and  2.  That  it  had  been  taught  already  in  the  Old  Testament.  The 
words  hut  now  may  be  regarded  as  merely  marking  the  transition  from 
one  paragraph  to  another,  or  as  a  designation  of  time :  now,  i.  e.  under 
the  gospel  dispensation.  In  favour  of  this  view  is  the  phrase,  "  to  de- 
clare, at  this  time,  his  righteousness,"  in  v.  26  ;  compare  also  1 :  17.  Is 
manifested,  i.  e.  clearly  made  known,  equivalent  to  the  phrase  is  re- 
vealed, as  used  in  1 :  17.  The  words  righteousness  of  God  are  subjected 
here  to  the  same  diversity  of  interpretation  that  was  noticed  in  the  pas- 
sage just  cited,  where  they  first  occur.  They  may  mean,  1.  A  divine 
attribute,  the  justice,  mercy,  or  general  rectitude  of  God.  2.  That  right- 
eousness which  is  acceptable  to  God,  which  is  such  in  his  estimation. 
3.  God's  method  of  justification  ;  see  note  on  1  :  17.  The  last  interpre- 
wation  gives  here  a  very  good  sense,  and  is  one  very  commonly  adopted. 
The  method  of  justification  by  works  being  impossible,  God  has  revealed 


76  ROMANS  3  :  21—31. 

another,  already  taught  indeed  both  in  the  law  and  prophets,  a  method 
which  is  not  legal  (without  law),  i.  e.  not  on  the  condition  of  obedience 
to  the  law,  but  on  the  condition  of  faith,  which  is  applicable  to  all  men, 
and  perfectly  gratuitous,'  vs.  21 — 24.  But  for  the  reasons  given  on  ch. 
1  :  17,  the  second  interpretation  is  to  be  preferred.  The  term  righteous' 
ness  is  employed  to  designate  all  that  excellence  which  is  demanded  by 
the  law,  and  which  entitles  to  all  the  blessings  of  a  state  of  justification, 
and  frequently  includes  the  idea  of  this  blessedness  itself,  i.  e.  the  bless- 
edness of  the  state  of  complete  favour  with  God ;  see  above  on  v.  20. 
The  phrase  righteousness  of  God  then  means  that  righteousness,  with  its 
consequent  blessings,  of  which  God  is  the  author,  which  is  of  avail 
before  God,  which  meets  and  secures  his  approbation.  This  interpreta- 
tion is  perfectly  consistent  with  the  context.  'As  men  cannot  attain  to 
righteousness  by  the  deeds  of  the  law,  God  has  revealed  in  the  gospel 
another  righteousness,  which  is  not  legal,  but  which  is  to  be  attained  by 
faith,  which  is  offered  to  all  men.  Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews,  and  which  is 
entirely  gratuitous.' 

The  words  without  the  law  are  to  be  connected  with  the  phrase  right' 
eousness  of  God.  It  is  the  righteousness  of  God  without  the  law,  i.  e.  the 
works  of  the  law  ;  see  the  full  phrase,  v.  28  ;  compare  Gal.  2:16.  It  is 
a  righteousness  not  attainable  by  obedience  to  the  law.  Being  testified  by 
the  lavj  and  the  prophets.  Testified,  i.  e.  taught,  because  the  teaching  of 
inspired  men  was  in  the  form  of  testimony ;  it  was  not  the  communica- 
tion of  what  they  themselves  had  discovered,  but  a  declaration  of  what 
had  been  delivered  to  them  by  God.  The  Jews  were  accustomed  to  di- 
vide the  Scriptures  into  two  parts,  the  law  and  the  prophets  ,•  what  did  not 
belong  to  the  former  was  included  under  the  latter.  Hence  the  phrase, 
as  here  used,  is  equivalent  to  the  Scriptures;  see  Matt.  5 :  17.  7:  12. 
Luke  16:  31.  Acts  13:  15,  &c.  &c.  That  the  Jewish  scriptures  did 
teach  the  doctrine  of  gratuitous  justification,  Paul  proves  in  the  next 
chapter,  from  the  case  of  Abraham  and  the  testimony  of  David. 

(22)  Even  the  righteousness  of  God  which  is  hy  faith  of  Jesus  Christ, 
&c.  In  the  preceding  verse,  Paul  had  taught  negatively,  that  this 
righteousness,  which  is  acceptable  and  available  in  the  sight  of  God, 
was  not  to  be  attained  by  the  works  of  the  law,  he  here  teaches,  1.  That 
it  is  to  be  attained  by  faith  in  Christ.  2.  That  it  is  applicable  to  all 
men,  Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews.  Which  is  hy  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  i.  e. 
through,  or  by  means  of  that  faith  of  which  Christ  is  the  object.  We  are 
not  justified  on  account  of  our  faith,  as  though  faith  were  the  ground  of 
our  acceptance,  for  the  ground  is  mentioned  afterwards ;  but  it  is  through 
faith.  Such  is  almost  uniformly  the  force  of  the  Greek  preposition  here 
used,  when  connected  with  the  genitive.  Faith  of  Christ  is  of  course 
equivalent  to  faith  in  Christ  ,•  see  Mark  11  :  22,  "  Have  faith  in  God," 
literally  '  of  God;'  Acts  3:16,  "Through  faith  in  his  name,"  literally 
*  of  his  name ;'  Gal.  2 :  20,  "  I  live  by  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,"  &c.  &c. 

Unio  all  and  upon  all  that  believe.     The  prepositions  rendered  unto 


ROMANS  3:  21—31.  777 

and  upon  do  not  here  express  different  ideas,  any  more  than  those  ren- 
dered by  and  through,  in  v.  30.  The  repetition  expresses  intensity. 
'This  righteousness  is  revealed  or  comes  unto  all,  even  all,  absolutely  all, 
without  distinction  of  name  or  nation.'  The  only  limitation  is  the  exer- 
cise of  faith.  It  is  unto  all  believers.  We  have  here  the  second  attribute 
of  the  righteousness  revealed  in  the  gospel,  mentioned  in  this  verse,  viz. 
its  universal  applicability.  It  is  not  to  be  restricted  to  any  one  class  of 
men,  but  is  as  well  suited  to  the  Gentile  as  the  Jew,  to  the  bond  as 
the  free,  to  the  wise  as  the  unwise,  to  the  poor  as  the  rich.  The  reason 
why  this  righteousness  is  thus  suited  to  all  men  is,  that  there  is  no  differ- 
ence in  their  moral  state  or  relation  to  God. 

(23)  For  all  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God.  These 
clauses  express  very  nearly  associated  ideas.  The  former  presents  more 
prominently  the  moral  character  of  men ;  the  latter  its  consequences. 
They  are  sinners,  and  have,  therefore,  forfeited  the  divine  favour.  Here 
again  the  fact  that  men  are  sinners  is  given  as  a  conclusive  reason  why 
justification  can  only  be  by  faith.  The  word  rendered  glory  has  been 
very  variously  explained.  It  may  signify  approbation,  as  in  John  12  :  43, 
"  they  love  the  approbation  of  men  better  than  the  approbation  of  God  ;" 
so  Grotius.  Or  it  may  be  taken  for  the  reward  which  God  bestows,  so 
often  called  in  Scripture  glory  ;  see  ch.  2:7.  As  the  word  rendered  come 
short  is  often  used  in  reference  to  those  who  lose  a  race,  the  clause  may 
be  explained  as  an  allusion  to  that  game.  The  glory  of  God  is  the  goal 
or  the  prize  for  which  men  contend,  and  which  all  have  failed  to  win. 

(24)  Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is 
in  Christ  Jesus.  The  apostle  continues  his  exhibition  of  the  method  of 
salvation  by  using  the  participle  '  being  justified,' instead  of  the  verb  'we 
are  justified,'  agreeably  to  a  mode  of  construction  not  unusual  in  Greek, 
though  much  more  frequent  in  the  Hebrew.  He  says  we  are  justified 
freely  by  his  grace,  that  is,  in  a  manner  which  is  entirely  gratuitous. 
We  have  not  the  slightest  degree  of  merit  to  offer  as  the  ground  of  our 
acceptance.  This  is  the  third  characteristic  of  the  method  of  justification 
which  is  by  the  righteousness  of  God.  Though  it  is  so  entirely  gratu- 
itous as  regards  the  sinner,  yet  it  is  in  a  way  perfectly  consistent  with 
the  justice  of  God.  It  is  founded  on  "  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ 
Jesus,"  that  is,  of  which  he  is  the  author. 

The  word  translated  redemption  has  two  senses  in  the  New  Testament. 
1.  It  means  properly  '  a  deliverance  effected  by  the  payment  of  a  ran- 
som.' This  is  its  primary  etymological  meaning.  2.  It  means  deliver- 
ance simply,  without  any  reference  to  the  means  of  its  accomplishment, 
whether  by  power  or  wisdom.  Luke  21  :  28,  "  the  day  of  redemption 
(i.  e.  of  deliverance)  draweth  nigh;"  Heb.  11  :  35,  and  perhaps  Rom. 
8  :  23  ;  compare  Isa.  50  :  2,  "  is  my  hand  shortened  at  all,  that  it  cannot 
redeem?"  &c.  &c.  When  applied  to  the  work  of  Christ,  as  effecting 
our  deliverance  from  the  punishment  of  sin,  it  is  always  taken  in  its  pro- 
per sense,  deliverance  effected  by  'he  payment  of  a  ransom.     This  is  evi- 

g2 


78  ROMANS  3:  21—31. 

dent  from  the  fact  that  Christ  is  uniformly  presented  aaa  Redeemer,  not 
in  the  character  of  a  teacher,  but  of  a  priest,  a  sacrifice,  propitiation,  &c. 
Comp.  Eph.  1  :  7.  Heb.  9  :  15.  Col.  1:14.  1  Tim.  2  :  6.  Matt.  20  :  28. 

That  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  i.  e.  which  is  bt/  him,  as  the  preposition  here 
rendered  in  means  in  places  almost  without  number;  Acts  13  :  39,  "by 
him  all  that  believe  are  justified,"  &c.  Acts  17:  31,  "by  that  man 
whom  he  hath  ordained,"  &c.  &c. 

(25)  Whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in 
his  blood,  &c.  This  clause  contains  the  ground  of  our  deliverance  from 
the  curse  of  the  law,  and  of  our  acceptance  with  God,  and  constitutes 
therefore  the  second  step  in  the  apostle's  exhibition  of  the  plan  of  salva- 
tion. He  had  already  taught  that  justification  was  not  by  works,  but  by 
faith,  and  entirely  gratuitous ;  he  now  comes  to  show  how  it  is  that  this 
exercise  of  mercy  to  the  sinner  can  be  reconciled  with  the  justice  of  God, 
and  the  demands  of  his  law. 

The  two  most  commonly  received  interpretations  of  the  word  rendered 
propitiation  are  the  following.  1.  It  may  mean  the  propitiatory  or  mercy- 
seat.  It  is  used  in  this  sense  repeatedly  in  the  Septuagint,  and  also  in 
the  New  Testament.  See  Exod.  25  :  17,  18,  21.  Heb.  9 :  5,  ^^c.  But 
this  meaning  of  the  word  is  here  unsuitable,  because  Christ  is  not  else- 
where called  the  mercy-seat,  and  because  it  violates  the  propriety  of  the 
apostle's  language,  inasmuch  as  he  immediately  speaks  of  the  blood  ot 
this  hilastarion.  2.  According  to  the  second  interpretation  the  term  here 
signifies  a  propitiatory  sacrifice,  or  propitiation.  It  is  properly  an  adjec- 
tive, and  is  applied  to  any  thing  designed  to  render  God  propitious. 
Hence  the  frequent  phrases  '  propitiatory  sacrifice,'  '  propitiatory  monu- 
ment,' '  propitiatory  death.'  In  this  case  the  word  for  sacrifice  may  be 
understood,  or  the  Greek  term  occurring  in  the  text  may  be  taken  sub 
stantively.  This  interpretation  is  to  be  preferred  to  the  other,  as  more 
consistent  with  the  context,  more  consonant  to  the  scriptural  represents 
tions  in  reference  to  this  subject,  and  perfectly  consistent  with  usage. 

Through  faith  in  his  blood.  These  words  may  be  connected  either 
with  the  immediately  preceding  or  with  those  at  the  beginning  of  v.  24. 
According  to  the  former  method,  the  sense  is,  *  Christ  is  a  propitiation 
through  faith  in  his  blood,'  that  is,  which  is  available  to  those  only  who 
exercise  this  faith,  and  on  this  condition.  According  to  the  latter,  '  We 
are  justified  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus  (we  are  jus- 
tified) through  faith  in  his  blood.'  So  that  this  clause  is  co-ordinate 
with  the  last  member  of  v.  24,  and  explanatory  of  it.  The  first  method 
appears  the  more  simple  and  natural  of  the  two. 

To  declare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins  that  are  past, 
through  the  forbearance  of  God.  Having  stated  the  nature  and  ground 
of  the  gospel  method  of  justification,  he  comes,  in  this  clause,  to  state 
it  objects.  'God  has  set  forth  Christ,  as  a  propitiatory  sacrifice,  to  de- 
clare his  righteousness.'  It  should  be  remembered  that  the  object  of 
the  death  of  Christ,  being  very  comprehensive,  is  very  variously  j)ie 


ROMANS  3  :  21—31.  79 

Bented  in  the  word  of  God.  In  other  words,  the  death  of  Christ  answers 
a  great  number  of  infinitely  important  ends  in  the  government  of  God. 
It  displays  "his  manifold  wisdom,"  Eph.  3:  10,  11;  it  was  designed 
*'to  purify  unto  himself  a  people  zealous  of  good  works,"  Tit.  2  :  14  ; 
to  break  down  the  distinction  between  the  Jews  and  Gentiles,  Eph.  2: 
15 ;  to  effect  the  reconciliation  of  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  unto  God, 
Eph.  2:  16;  "to  deliver  us  from  this  present  evil  world,"  Gal.  1:4; 
to  secure  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  Eph.  1:7:  to  vindicate  his  ways  to 
men  in  so  long  passing  by  or  remitting  their  sins,  Rom.  3  :  25  ;  to  recon- 
cile the  exercise  of  mercy  with  the  requirements  of  justice,  v.  26,  &c. 
&c.  These  ends  are  not  inconsistent,  but  perfectly  harmonious.  The 
end  here  specially  mentioned  is  to  declare  his  righteousness.  These 
words  here,  as  elsewhere,  are  variously  explained.  1.  They  are  under- 
stood of  some  one  of  the  moral  attributes  of  God,  as  his  veracity,  by 
Locke;  or  his  mercy,  by  Grotius,  Koppe,  and  many  of  the  moderns. 
Both  of  these  interpretations  are  forced,  because  they  assign  very  unu- 
sual meanings  to  the  word  righteousness,  and  meanings  little  suited  to 
the  context.  2.  Most  commentators  who  render  the  phrase  '  righteous- 
ness, or  justification  of  God,'  in  ch.  1  :  17.  3:  21,  God's  method  of  jus- 
tification, adopt  that  sense  here.  The  meaning  would  then  be  that  '  God 
had  set  forth  Christ  as  a  propitiation,  to  exhibit  his  method  of  justifying 
sinners,  both  in  reference  to  the  sins  committed  under  the  former  dispen- 
sation, and  under  the  new.'  3.  The  great  majority  of  commentators 
give  it  the  sense  of  the  general  rectitude  of  God.  This  is  recommended 
by  the  consideration  that  this  is  the  common  meaning  of  the  word  right- 
eousness, that  the  phrase  here  used  must  be  so  understood  in  ch.  2  :  5, 
where  '  the  unrighteousness  of  men  is  said  to  commend  the  righteous- 
ness of  God,'  and  especially  that,  in  the  next  verse,  Paul  subjoins  the 
explanatory  clause,  "  that  he  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  every  one 
which  believeth  in  Jesus."  This,  as  Calvin  remarks,  is  Paul's  own  de- 
finition of  "the  righteousness  of  God,"  of  which  he  is  here  speaking. 
The  meaning  of  the  clause  then  is,  that  '  God  hath  set  forth  Christ,  as  a 
propitiation,  to  make  it  plain  that  he  is  just,  or  righteous  in  the  forgive- 
ness of  sins.'  His  pardoning  mercy  is  thus  vindicated  from  all  appear- 
ance of  interfering  with  the  demands  of  justice. 

For  the  remission  of  sins.  The  preposition  which  is  here  rendered  for 
may  be  variously  explained.  1.  It  not  unfrequently  with  the  accusative, 
the  case  by  which  it  is  here  followed,  has  the  force  which  more  properly 
belongs  to  it  with  the  genitive,  i.  e.  through.  This  would  suit  the  con- 
text, if  righteousness  meant  mercy,  '  To  exhibit  his  mercy  by  means  of 
the  remission  of  sins.'  But  this  explanation  of  the  word  '  righteousness' 
has  been  shown  above  to  be  objectionable.  2.  It  is  taken  to  mean  as  to, 
as  it  regards.  This  also  gives  a  good  sense,  '  To  declare  his  righteous- 
ness, as  to,  or  as  it  regards  the  remission  of  sins.'  But  the  preposition 
in  question  very  rarely,  if  ever,  has  this  force.  3.  The  common  force  of 
the  preposition  is  retained,  on  account  of.     This  clause  would  then  assign 


80  ROMANS  3;  21—31. 

the  ground  or  reason  of  the  exhibition  of  the  righteousness  of  God.  It 
became  necessary  that  there  should  be  this  exhibition,  because  God  had 
overlooked  and  pardoned  sin  from  the  beginning.  This  is  the  most  na- 
tural and  satisfactory  interpretation  of  the  passage.  The  word  rendered 
remission  more  strictly  me^ns  pretermission,  a  passing  by,  or  overlooking, 
Paul  repeatedly  uses  the  proper  term  for  remission,  as  in  Eph.  1  :  7. 
Heb.  9 :  22,  &c.,  but  the  word  here  used  occurs  nowhere  else  in  the 
New  Testament.  Many,  therefore,  consider  the  selection  of  this  parti- 
cular term  as  designed  to  express  the  idea  that  sins  committed  before  the 
advent  of  Christ  might  more  properly  be  said  to  be  overlooked,  than  ac- 
tually pardoned,  until  the  sacrifice  of  the  Redeemer  had  been  completed. 
Reference  is  made  to  Acts  17  :  30,  where  God  is  said  to  have  overlooked 
the  times  of  ignorance.  But  as  the  word  used  by  the  apostle  is  actually 
used  to  express  the  idea  of  remission  in  Greek  writers,  the  majority  of 
commentators  adopt  that  meaning  here. 

The  words  that  are  past  seem  distinctly  to  refer  to  the  times  before  the 
advent  of  Christ.  This  is  plain  from  their  opposition  to  the  expression, 
at  this  time,  in  the  next  verse,  and  from  a  comparision  with  the  parallel 
passage  in  Heb.  9 :  15,  "He  is  the  Mediator  for  the  redemption  of  sins 
that  were  under  the  first  testament."  The  words  rendered  through  the 
forbearance  of  God  may  be  variously  connected  and  explained.  1.  They 
may  be  connected  with  the  words  just  mentioned,  and  the  meaning  be, 
*  Sins  that  are  past,  or,  which  were  committed  during  the  forbearance  of 
God  ;'  see  Acts  17:  30,  where  the  times  before  the  advent  are  described 
in  much  the  same  manner.  2.  Or  they  may  be  taken,  as  by  our  transla- 
tors, as  giving  the  cause  of  the  remission  of  these  sins,  '  They  were 
remitted,  or  overlooked  through  the  divine  forbearance  or  mercy.'  The 
former  interpretation  is  better  suited  to  the  context.  The  meaning  of  the 
whole  verse,  therefore,  is,  '  God  has  set  forth  Jesus  Christ  as  a  propitia- 
tory sacrifice,  to  vindicate  his  righteousness  or  justice,  on  account  of  the 
remission  of  the  sins  committed  under  the  former  dispensation,'  and  not 
under  the  former  dispensation  only,  but  which  are  committed  at  the  pre 
sent  time,  as  the  apostle  immediately  adds. 

(26)  To  declare,  I  say,  at  this  time,  his  righteousness,  &c.  This  verse 
is  an  amplification  and  explanation  of  the  preceding.  The  words  there 
and  here  rendered  to  declare,  properly  mean  for  the  manifestation.  This 
clause  is  evidently  co-ordinate  with  the  second  member  of  the  preceding 
verse.  '  Christ  was  set  forth  as  a  sacrifice  for  the  exhibition  of  the 
righteousness  of  God,  on  account  of  the  remission  of  the  sins  of  old  ;  for 
the  exhibition  of  his  righteousness  at  this  time,'  &c.  There  are  two  pur- 
poses to  be  answered  by  this  sacrifice,  the  vindication  of  the  character  of 
God  in  passing  by  former  sins,  and  in  passing  by  them  now.  At  this 
/ime,  therefore,  as  opposed  to  the  time  'of  forbearance,'  is  the  gospel 
dispensation. 

That  he  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus. 
This  clause  is,  as  before  remarked,  the  explanation  and  definition  of  the 


ROMANS  3;  21—31.  81 

righteousness  of  God  just  spoken  of.  It  depends,  in  sense,  upon  the  first 
clause  of  the  25th  verse,  '  Whom  God  hath  set  forth  as  a  propitiatory 
sacrifice,  in  order  that  he  might  be  just  in  the  justification  of  those  that 
believe.'  It  is  obvious,  therefore,  that  this  clause  expresses  more  defi- 
nitely the  idea  intended  to  be  conveyed  by  the  phrase  "to  declare  his 
righteousness."  Christ  was  set  forth  as  a  sacrifice  for  the  manifestation 
of  the  righteousness  or  justice  of  God,  that  is,  that  he  might  be  just,  al- 
though the  justifier  of  the  ungodly.  The  word  j«s/  expresses  the  idea  of 
uprightness  generally,  of  being  or  doing  what  the  nature  of  the  case  de- 
mands. But  when  spoken  of  the  conduct  of  a  judge,  and  in  reference  to 
his  treatment  of  sin,  it  must  mean  more  specifically  that  modification  of 
general  rectitude,  which  requires  that  sin  should  be  treated  according  to 
its  true  nature,  that  the  demands  of  law  or  justice  should  not  be  disre- 
garded. What  the  apostle  means  to  say,  is,  that  there  is  no  such  disre- 
gard to  the  claims  of  justice  in  the  justification  of  the  sinner  who  believes 
in  Christ.  This  is  seen  and  acknowledged,  when  it  is  known  that  he  is 
justified  neither  on  account  of  his  own  acts  or  character,  nor  by  a  mere 
sovereign  dispensing  with  the  demands  of  the  law,  but  on  the  ground  of 
a  complete  satisfaction  rendered  by  his  substitute,  i.  e.  on  the  ground  of 
the  obedience  and  death  of  Christ.  The  gratuitous  nature  of  this  justifi- 
cation is  not  at  all  aflfected  by  its  proceeding  on  the  ground  of  this  perfect 
satisfaction.  It  is,  to  the  sinner,  still  the  most  undeserved  of  all  favours, 
to  which  he  not  only  has  not  the  shadow  of  a  personal  claim,  but  the  very 
reverse  of  which  he  has  most  richly  merited.  It  is  thus_that  justice  and 
mercy  are  harmoniously  united  in  the  sinner's  justification.  Justice  is 
no  less  justice,  although  mercy  has  her  perfect  work ;  and  mercy  is  no 
less  mercy,  although  justice  is  completely  satisfied. 

"  Just  and  the  justifier,"  &c.  that  is,  just  although  the  justifier,  &c. 
This  force  of  the  particle  rendered  and  is  very  common  both  in  the  Old 
and  New  Testament. 

Him  which  helieveth  in  Jesus  ,•  literally  him  that  is  of  the  faith  of  Jesus  ; 
conipare  Gal.  2 :  7,  12.  The  expression  faith  of  Jesus  means  faith  of 
which  Jesus  is  the  object.  God  therefore  is  just  in  justifying  the  man 
who  relies  on  Jesus  as  a  propitiatory  sacrifice. 

(27)  Where  is  boasting  then?  It  is  excluded.  By  what  laiu?  of 
works?  Nay ;  hut  by  the  law  of  faith.  In  this  and  the  following  verses, 
the  apostle  presents  the  tendency  and  results  of  the  glorious  plan  of  sal- 
vation, which  he  had  just  unfolded.  It  excludes  boasting,  v.  27.  It 
presents  God  in  his  true  character,  as  the  God  and  Father  of  the  Gentiles 
as  well  as  the  Jews,  vs.  29,  30  ;  and  it  establishes  the  law,  v.  31.  The 
word  rendered  boasting  is  used  to  express  the  idea  of  self-gratulation 
with  or  without  sufficient  reason.  In  the  former  case,  it  is  properly 
rendered  rejoicings  as  when  Paul  speaks  of  the  Thessalonians  being  his 
"crown  of  rejoicing."  In  the  latter,  the  word  boasting  best  answers  to 
its  meaning.  The  word  sometimes  means  the  act  of  boasting  or  rejoic- 
ing i  at  others,  by  metonymy,  the  ground  or  reason  of  boasting,  as  in 


82  ROMANS  3  :  21—31. 

Rom.  15  :  17.  Either  sense  suits  this  passage.  It  may  mean  all  boast- 
ing is  prevented,  or  all  ground  of  boasting  is  excluded.  Paul  means  to 
say  that  the  result  of  the  gospel  plan  of  salvation  is  to  prevent  all  self-ap- 
probation, self-gratulation,  and  exaltation  on  the  part  of  the  sinner.  He 
is  presented  as  despoiled  of  all  merit,  and  as  deserving  the  displeasure  of 
God.  He  can  attribute,  in  no  degree,  his  deliverance  from  this  displea- 
sure to  himself,  and  he  cannot  exalt  himself  either  in  the  presence  of 
God,  or  in  comparison  with  his  fellow-sinners.  As  sin  is  odious  in  the 
sight  of  God,  it  is  essential,  in  any  scheme  of  mercy,  that  the  sinner 
should  be  made  to  feel  this,  and  that  nothing  done  by  or  for  him  in  any 
measure  diminishes  his  personal  ill-desert  on  account  of  his  transgres- 
sions. 

The  expressions  "  by  what  law  ?"  "  the  law  of  works,"  and  "  law  of 
faith,"  especially  the  last,  are  peculiar,  as  the  word  law  is  not  used  in 
its  ordinary  sense.  The  general  idea  of  a  rule  of  action,  however,  is 
retained.  '  By  what  rule  1  By  that  which  requires  works  1  Nay ;  by 
\hat  which  requires  faith  ;'  compare  ch.  9:31. 

(33)  Therefore  we  conclude  that  a  man  is  justified  hy  faith  without  the 
deeds  of  the  law.  The  word  rendered  we  conclude  means,  more  properly, 
we  are  persuaded,-  see  8:  18.  2  Cor.  10:  7.  This  verse  may  be  consi- 
dered as  immediately  connected  with  the  preceding,  and  as  stating  a  per- 
suasion, founded,  among  other  reasons,  on  the  truth  there  presented. 
The  idea  would  then  be,  '  We  are  persuaded  that  the  doctrine  of  justifica- 
tion is  true,  because  it  thus  effectually  excludes  all  boasting.'  Or  it  may 
express  the  conclusion  from  the  whole  of  the  preceding  exhibition  ;  which 
is  probably  the  correct  view  of  its  connexion.  The  great  truth  of  which 
Paul  declares  his  firm  conviction,  therefore,  is,  that  a  man  is  justified  by 
means  of  faith,  and  not  on  account  of  obedience  to  the  law. 

(29,  30)  Is  he  the  God  of  the  Jews  only?  is  he  not  also  of  the  Gentiles  ? 
Yes,  of  the  Gentiles  also ;  seeing  it  is  one  God  who  shall  justify,  &c.  We 
have  here  the  second  result  of  the  gospel  method  of  justification ;  it  pre- 
sents God  as  equally  the  God  of  the  Gentiles  and  the  Jews.  He  is 
such,  because  '  it  is  one  God  who  justifies  the  circumcision  by  faith,  and 
the  uncircumcision  through  faith.'  He  deals  with  both  classes  on  pre- 
cisely the  same  principles  ;  he  pursues,  with  regard  to  both,  the  same 
plan,  and  offers  salvation  to  both  on  exactly  the  same  terms.  There  is, 
therefore,  in  this  doctrine,  the  foundation  laid  for  a  universal  religion, 
which  may  be  preached  to  every  creature  under  heaven  ;  which  need  not, 
as  was  the  case  with  the  Jewish  system,  be  confined  to  any  one  sect  or 
nation.  This  is  the  only  doctrine  which  suits  the  character  of  God,  and 
his  relation  to  all  his  intelligent  creatures  upon  earth.  God  is  a  universal, 
and  not  a  national  God ;  and  this  is  a  method  of  salvation  universally 
applicable.  These  sublime  truths  are  so  familiar  to  our  minds  that  they 
have,  in  a  measure,  lost  their  power;  but  as  to  the  Jew,  enthralled  all 
his  life  in  his  narrow  national  and  religious  prejudices,  they  must  have 
expanded  his  whole  soul  with  unwonted  emotions  of  wonder,  gratitude, 


ROMANS  3:  21-^-31.  83 

and  joy.  We  Gentiles  may  now  look  up  to  heaven,  and  confidently  say 
»'  Thou  art  our  Father,  though  Abraham  be  ignorant  of  us,  and  though 
Israel  acknowledge  us  not." 

The  expressions  '  hy  faith,'  and  ' /ArotA^A  faith,'  evidently  do  not  difFei 
in  their  meaning,  as  Paul  uses  them  indiscriminately,  sometimes  the  one, 
as  in  1  :  17.  3  :  20.  4  :  16,  &c.  &c.,  and  sometimes  the  other,  as  in  3  :  22, 
25.  Gal.  2 :  16,  &c.  &c.,  and  as  each  of  the  prepositions  employed  in  the 
original  is  used  to  express  the  means  by  which  any  thing  is  done. 

(31)  Do  we  then  make  void  the  law  through  faith  ?  God  forbid :  yea, 
we  establish  the  law.  This  verse  states  the  third  result  of  this  method  of 
salvation;  instead  of  invalidating,  it  establishes  the  law.  As  Paul  uses 
the  word  law  in  so  many  senses,  it  is  doubtful  which  one  of  them  is  here 
principally  intended.  In  every  sense,  however,  the  declaration  is  true. 
If  the  law  means  the  Old  Testament  generally,  then  it  is  true,  for  the 
gospel  method  of  justification  contradicts  no  one  of  its  statements,  is  in- 
consistent with  no  one  of  its  doctrines,  and  invalidates  no  one  of  its  pro- 
mises, but  is  harmonious  with  all,  and  confirmatory  of  the  whole.  If  it 
means  the  Mosaic  institutions  specially,  these  were  shadows  of  which 
Christ  is  the  substance.  That  law  is  abolished,  not  by  being  pronounced 
spurious  or  invalid,  but  by  having  met  its  accomplishment,  and  answered 
its  design  in  the  gospel.  What  it  taught  and  promised,  the  gospel  also 
teaches  and  promises,  only  in  clearer  and  fuller  measure.  If  it  means 
the  moral  law,  which  no  doubt  was  prominently  intended,  still  it  is  not 
invalidated,  but  established.  No  moral  obligation  is  weakened,  no  penal 
sanction  disregarded.  The  precepts  are  enforced  by  new  and  stronger 
motives,  and  the  penalty  is  answered  in  him,  who  bore  our  sins  in  his 
own  body  on  the  tree.     To  whom  be  glory  now  and  for  ever. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  The  evangelical  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  is  the  doctrine  of 
the  Old  no  less  than  of  the  New  Testament,  v.  21. 

2.  Justification  is  pronouncing  one  to  be  just,  and  treating  him  accord- 
ingly, on  the  ground  that  the  demands  of  the  law  have  been  satisfied 
concerning  him,  vs.  24,  25,  26. 

3.  The  ground  of  justification  is  not  our  own  merit,  nor  faith,  nor 
evangelical  obedience;  not  the  work  of  Christ  in  us,  but  his  work  for 
us,  i.  e.  his  obedience  unto  death,  v.  25. 

4.  An  act  may  be  perfectly  gratuitous  as  it  regards  its  object,  and  at 
the  same  time  proceed  on  the  ground  of  a  complete  satisfaction  to  the 
demands  of  the  law.  Thus  justification  is  gratuitous,  not  because 
those  demands  are  unsatisfied,  but  because  it  is  granted  to  those  who 
have  no  personal  ground  of  recommendation,  vs.  24,  26. 

5.  God  is  the  ultimate  end  of  all  his  own  acts.  To  declare  his  glory 
is  the  highest  and  best  end  which  he  can  propose  for  himself  or  his 
creatures,  v.  25. 

6.  The  atonement  does  not  consist  in  a  display  to  others  of  the  divine 


84  ROMANS  3  :  21—31. 

justice;  this  is  one  of  its  designs  and  results,  but  it  is  such  a  display- 
only  by  being  a  satisfaction  to  the  justice  of  God.  It  is  not  a  symbol 
or  illustration,  but  a  satisfaction,  v.  26. 

7.  All  true  doctrine  tends  to  humble  men  and  to  exalt  God;  and  all 
true  religion  is  characterized  by  humility  and  reverence,  v.  27. 

8.  God  is  a  universal  Father,  and  all  men  are  brethren,  vs.  29,  30. 

9.  The  law  of  God  is  immutable.  Its  precepts  are  always  binding, 
and  its  penalty  must  be  inflicted  either  on  the  sinner  or  his  substitute. 
When,  however,  it  is  said  that  the  penalty  of  the  law  is  inflicted  on  the 
Redeemer,  as  the  sinner's  substitute,  or  in  the  language  of  Scripture,  that 
"  he  was  made  a  curse  for  us,"  it  cannot  be  imagined  that  he  suffered 
the  same  kind  of  evils  (as  remorse,  &c.)  which  the  sinner  would  have 
suffered.  The  law  threatens  no  specific  kind  of  evil  as  its  penalty. 
The  term  death  in  Scripture  designates  any  or  all  the  evils  inflicted  in 
punishment  of  sin.  And  the  penalty,  or  curse  of  the  law  (in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Bible),  is  any  evil  judicially  inflicted  in  satisfaction  of  the 
demands  of  justice.  To  say  that  Christ  suffered,  therefore,  to  satisfy 
the  law;  to  declare  the  righteousness  of  God,  or  that  he  might  be  just 
in  justifying  him  that  believes  in  Jesus  ;  that  he  bore  the  penalty  of  the 
law,  are  all  equivalent  expressions,  v.  31. 

REMARKS. 

1.  As  the  cardinal  doctrine  of  the  Bible  is  justification  by  faith,  so 
the  turning  point  in  the  soul's  history,  the  saving  act,  is  the  reception  of 
Jesus  Christ  as  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,  v.  25. 

2.  All  modes  of  preaching  must  be  erroneous  which  do  not  lead  sin- 
Tiers  to  feel  that  the  great  thing  to  be  done,  and  done  first,  is  to  receive 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  turn  unto  God  through  him.  And  all  re- 
ligious experience  must  be  defective  which  does  not  embrace  distinctly 
a  sense  of  the  justice  of  our  condemnation,  and  a  conviction  of  the  suffi- 
ciency of  the  work  of  Christ,  and  an  exclusive  reliance  upon  it  as  such,' 
V.  25. 

3.  As  God  proposes  his  own  glory  as  the  end  of  all  that  he  does,  so 
ought  we  to  have  that  glory  as  the  constant  and  commanding  object  of 
pursuit,  V.  25. 

4.  The  doctrine  of  atonement  produces  in  us  its  proper  effect 
when  it  leads  us  to  see  and  feel  that  God  is  just;  that  he  is  infinitely 
gracious;  that  we  are  deprived  of  all  ground  of  boasting;  that  the  way 
of  salvation,  which  is  open  for  us,  is  open  for  all  men ;  and  that  the  mo- 
tives to  all  duty,  instead  of  being  weakened,  are  enforced  and  multiplied, 
vs.  25—31. 

5.  In  the  gospel  all  is  harmonious;  justice  and  mercy,  as  it  regards 
God  ;  freedom  from  the  law,  and  the  strongest  obligations  to  obedience, 
as  it  regards  men,  v.  25,  31. 


ROMANS  4:  1—17.  .    S$ 


CHAPTER  IV. 

CONTENTS. 

Thic  object  01  this  chapter  is  to  confirm  the  doctrine  of  justification 
fey  faith.  It  is  divided  into  two  parts.  The  first,  from  v.  1  to  17  inclu- 
eive,  contains  the  argumentative  portion.  The  second,  v.  18  to  25,  is 
an  illustration  of  the  faith  of  Abraham. 

CHAP.  4:  1—17. 

*What  shall  we  then  say  that  Abraham,  our  father  as  pertaining  to  the 
flesh,  hath  found  1  ^For  if  Abraham  were  justified  by  works,  he  hath 
whereof  to  glory  ;  but  not  before  God.  ^Yox  what  saith  the  Scripture  1 
Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was  counted  unto  him  for  righteousness. 
*Now  to  him  that  worketh  is  the  rew^ard  not  reckoned  of  grace,  but  of 
debt.  ^But  to  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justifieth 
tbe  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for  righteousness.  ^Even  as  David  also 
describeth  the  blessedness  of  the  man,  unto  whom  God  imputeth  right- 
eousness without  works,  "^ saying.  Blessed  are  they  whose  iniquities  are 
forgiven,  and  whose  sins  are  covered.  ^Blessed  is  man  to  whom  the 
Lord  will  not  impute  sin.  ^Cometh  this  blessedness  then  upon  the  cir- 
cumcision only,  or  upon  the  circumcision  also  ?  for  we  say  that  faith  was 
reckoned  to  Abraham  for  righteousness.  *°How  was  it  then  reckoned  % 
when  he  was  in  circumcision,  or  in  uncircumcision  ?  Not  in  circumci- 
sion, but  in  uncircumcision.  ^^And  he  received  the  sign  of  circumcision, 
a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  the  faith  which  he  had,  yet  being  uncircum- 
cised  :  that  he  might  be  the  father  of  all  them  that  believe,  though  they 
be  not  circumcised  ;  that  righteousness  might  be  imputed  unto  them  also : 
^^and  the  father  of  circumcision  to  them  who  are  not  of  the  circumcision 
only,  but  who  also  walk  in  the  steps  of  that  faith  of  our  father  Abraham, 
which  he  had,  being  yet  uncircumcised.  ^^Yox  the  promise,  that  he  should 
be  the  heir  of  the  world,  was  not  to  Abraham,  or  to  his  seed,  through  the 
law,  but  through  the  righteousness  of  faith.  **For  if  they  which  are  of 
the  law  he  heirs,  faith  is  made  void,  and  the  promise  made  of  none  effect : 
*^because  the  law  worketh  wrath :  for  where  no  law  is,  there  is  no 
transgression.  ^^Therefore  it  is  of  faith,  that  it  might  he  by  grace ;  to 
the  end  the  promise  might  be  sure  to  all  the  seed  ;  not  to  that  only  which 
is  of  the  law,  but  to  that  also  which  is  of  the  faith  of  Abraham  ;  who  is  the 
father  of  us  all,  ^''(as  it  is  written,  I  have  made  thee  a  father  of  many  na- 
tions,) before  him  whom  he  believed,  even  God,  who  quickeneth  the 
dead,  and  calleth  those  things  which  be  not  as  though  they  were. 

ANALYSIS. 

Paul,  from  the  21st  verse  of  the  preceding  chapter,  had  been  setting 
forth  the  gospel  method  of  salvation.    That  this  is  the  true  method  he 

H 


86  ROMANS  4:  1—17. 

now  proves,  1.  From  the  fact  that  Abraham  was  justified  by  faith,  vs. 
1 — 5.  That  this  was  really  the  case  he  shows,  first,  because  otherwise 
Abraham  would  have  had  ground  of  boasting,  even  in  the  sight  of  God, 
V.  2  ;  second,  because  the  Scriptures  expressly  declare  that  he  was  justi- 
fied by  faith,  v.  3. 

Verses  4,  5,  are  designed  to  show,  that  being  justified  by  faith  is  tan- 
tamount with  being  justified  gratuitously,  and,  therefore,  all  those  pas- 
sages which  speak  of  the  gratuitous  forgiveness  of  sins  may  be  fairly 
cited  in  favour  of  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith. 

2.  On  this  principle  he  adduces  Ps.  32  :  1,  2,  as  his  second  argument, 
for  there  David  speaks,  not  of  rewarding  the  righteous  as  such,  or  for 
their  righteousness,  but  of  the  free  acceptance  of  the  unworthy,  vs.  6 — 8. 

3.  The  third  argument  is  designed  to  show  that  circumcision  is  not  a 
necessary  condition  of  justification,  from  the  fact  that  Abraham  was  justi- 
fied before  he  was  circumcised  ;  and;  therefore,  is  the  head  and  father  of 
all  believers,  whether  circumcised  or  not,  vs.  9 — 12. 

4.  The  fourth  argument  is  from  the  nature  of  the  covenant  made  with 
Abraham,  in  which  the  promise  was  made  on  the  condition  of  faith,  and 
not  of  legal  obedience,  vs.  13,  14. 

5.  And  the  fifth,  from  the  nature  of  the  law,  vs.  15 — 17. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1)  What  shall  we  then  say  that  Abraham,  our  father  as  pertaining  to 
the  Jlesh,  hath  found  ?  The  connexion  of  this  verse  with  the  preceding 
train  of  reasoning  is  obvious.  Paul  had  taught  that  we  are  justified  by 
faith  ;  as  well  in  confirmation  of  this  doctrine,  as  to  anticipate  an  objec- 
tion from  the  Jew,  he  refers  to  the  case  of  Abraham.  '  How  was  it  then 
with  Abraham  ■?     How  did  he  obtain  justification  V 

The  words  rendered  as  pertaining  to  the  flesh  may  be  more  properly 
rendered  as  to,  or  through  the  flesh.  And  instead  of  being  connected 
with  the  word  father,  they  should  stand  at  the  end  of  the  verse,  '  what 
hath  Abraham  our  father  found  through  the  flesh  V  Such  is  their  posi- 
tion in  the  original ;  and  although  the  sense  is  good,  which  is  aflforded 
by  connecting  thern  as  in  our  version,  yet  the  Greek  will  hardly  admit 
of  it. 

The  word  flesh  in  this  connexion  is  variously  explained.  It  is  rendered 
by  some  naturally,  by  himself;  and  to  the  same  amount  by  Grotius,  by 
his  own  powers.  This,  however,  is,  confessedly,  a  very  unusual  signifi- 
cation of  the  term.  Others  again  suppose  that  the  reference  is  to  circum- 
cision ;  '  through  the  flesh'  is  then  equivalent  to  '  circumcision  which  is 
in  the  flesh.'  But  there  is  no  ground  for  this  specific  reference  in  the  context. 
Paul  often  uses  the  word  Jlesh  in  a  general  way  for  every  thing  external,  re- 
lating to  ceremonies,  legal  observances,  &c. ;  see  Gal.  6  :  12,  "  As  many  as 
desire  to  make  a  fair  show  in  the  flesh ;"  Gal.  3:3,"  Having  begun  in 
the  Spirit,  are  ye  now  made  perfect  by  the  flesh ;"  Phil.  3 :  3,  4,  where 


ROMANS  4  :  1—17.  8T 

Paul  says  he  'has  no  confidence  in  the  flesh,'  and  adds,  "If  any  other 
man  thinketh  he  hath  whereof  to  glory  in  the  flesh,  I  more."  He  then 
enumerates  his  Hebrew  descent,  his  being  a  Pharisee,  his  blameless  legal 
righteousness,  as  all  included  in  this  comprehensive  expression.  By  the 
term,  in  this  instance,  is  to  be  understood  all  the  advantages  of  Abraham, 
and  all  his  works,  as  the  context  shows.  The  point  of  the  apostle's 
question  is,  '  Has  Abraham  obtained  justification  or  the  favour  of  God  by 
the  flesh]'  To  this  a  negative  answer  is  supposed,  for  which  the  next 
verse  assigns  the  reason,  'For  if  Abraham  was  justified  by  works,'  &c. 
The  phrase  63/ ti^or/cs,  therefore,  is  substituted  for  through  thejlesh^za 
being,  in  this  case,  perfectly  equivalent  to  it. 

(2)  For  if  Abraham  were  justified  by  works,  he  hath  whereof  to  glory, 
hut  not  before  God.  The  apostle's  mode  of  reasoning  is  so  concise  as 
often  to  leave  some  of  the  steps  of  his  argument  to  be  supplied,  which, 
however,  are  almost  always  sufficiently  obvious  from  the  context.  As 
just  remarked,  a  negative  answer  is  to  be  supposed  to  the  question  in  the 
first  verse.  Abraham  has  not  attained  the  favour  of  God  through  the 
flesh.  The  force  of/or  at  the  beginning  of  this  verse  is  then  obvious,  as 
introducing  the  reason  for  this  answer.  The  most  simple  and'satisfactory 
interpretation  of  this  verse  is  the  following.  'If  Abraham  was  justified 
by  works,  he  hath  whereof  to  glory ;  but  he  hath  not  whereof  to  glory 
before  God,  and,  therefore,  he  was  not  justified  by  works  ;'  which  is  the 
conclusion  which  Paul  intended  to  establish,  and  which  he  immediately 
confirms  by  the  testimony  of  the  Scriptures.  The  argument  thus  far  is 
founded  on  the  assumption,  that  no  man  can  appear  thus  confidently 
before  God,  and  boast  of  having  done  all  that  was  required  of  him.  If 
the  doctrine  of  justification  by  works  involves,  as  Paul  shows  it  does, 
this  claim  to  perfect  obedience,  it  must  be  false.  And  that  Abraham  was 
not  thus  justified,  he  proves  from  the  sacred  record. 

(3)  For  what  saith  the  scripture  ?  Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was 
counted  to  him  for  righteousness.  The  connexion  of  this  verse  with  the 
preceding  is  this.  Paul  had  just  said  Abraham  had  no  ground  of  boasting 
with  God;  For  what  saith  the  Scripture?  Does  it  refer  the  ground  of 
Abraham's  justification  to  his  works  T  By  no  means.  It  declares  he 
was  justified  by  faith  ;  which  Paul  immediately  shows  is  equivalent  to 
saying  that  he  was  justified  gratuitously.  The  passage  quoted  by  the 
apostle  is  Gen.  15:  6,  "Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was  counted  to 
him  (i.  e.  imputed  to  him)  for  righteousness."  This  is  an  important  pas- 
sage, as  the  phrase  "  to  impute  faith  for  righteousness"  occurs  repeatedly 
in  Paul's  writings.  The  primary  meaning  of  the  word  here  rendered  to 
count  to,  or  to  impute,  is  to  reckon,  or  member  ;  2  Chron.  5:6,"  Which 
could  not  be  numbered  for  multitude  ;"  Mark  15  :  28,  "  He  was  numbered 
with  transgressors  ;"  see  Isa.  53  :  12,  &c.  &c.  2.  It  means  to  esteem,  or 
regard  as  something,  that  is,  to  number  as  belonging  to  a  certain  class  of 
things ;  Gen.  31 :  15,  "Are  we  not  counted  of  him  strangers ;"  Isa.  40  : 


88  ROMANS  4  :  1—17. 

17,  &c.  &c. ;  compare  Job  19:  11.  33  :  10,  in  the  Hebrew.  3.  It  is 
used  in  the  more  general  sense  of  purposing^  devising,  considering,  think- 
ing, &c.  4.  In  strict  connexion  with  its  primary  meaning,  it  signifies  to 
impute,  to  set  to  one^s  account ;  that  is,  to  number  among  the  things  be- 
longing to  a  man,  or  chargeable  upon  him.  It  generally  implies  tho 
accessory  idea,  '  of  treating  one  according  to  the  nature  of  the  thing  im- 
puted.' Thus,  in  the  frequent  phrase  to  impute  sin,  as  2  Sam.  19 :  19, 
"Let  not  my  Lord  impute  iniquity  unto  me,"  i.  e.  '  Let  him  not  lay  it  tt> 
my  charge,  and  treat  me  accordingly;'  compare  1  Sam.  22:  15,  in  the 
Hebrew  and  Septuagint;  Ps.  32:  2  (Septuagint  31),  "Blessed  is  the 
man  to  whom  the  Lord  imputeth  not  iniquity,"  &c.  &c.  And  in  the  New 
Testament,  2  Cor.  5:  19,  "Not  imputing  unto  men  their  trespasses;" 
2  Tim.  4  :  16,  "  I  pray  God  that  it  may  not  be  laid  to  their  charge,"  &c. 
&c.  These,  and  numerous  similar  passages,  render  the  scriptural  idea 
of  imputation  perfectly  clear.  It  is  laying  any  thing  to  one's  charge,  and 
treating  him  accordingly.  It  produces  no  change  in  the  individual  to 
whom  the  imputation  is  made  ;  it  simply  alters  his  relation  to  the  law. 
As  far  as  the  meaning  of  the  word  is  concerned,  it  is  a  matter  of  indiffer- 
ence whether  the  thing  imputed  belonged  antecedently  to  the  person  to 
whom  the  imputation  is  made  or  not.  Compare  Lev.  17  :  4,  and  vs.  6, 
11  of  this  chapter,  in  which  Paul  speaks  of  righteousness  being  imputed 
to  those  to  whom  it  does  not  personally  belong. 

The  expression  "  faith  was  counted  to  him  for  righteousness"  is  va- 
riously explained.  Some  understand  the  word  faith  as  including  its  ob- 
ject, i.  e.  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  so  that  it  is  not  faith  considered 
as  an  act  that  is  imputed,  but  faith  considered  as  including  the  merit 
which  it  apprehends  and  appropriates.  But  this  interpretation  is  incon- 
sistent with  the  connexion  in  which  the  passage  occurs,  both  in  the  Old 
and  New  Testament. 

Besides  this  view  of  the  passage,  there  are  three  others  founded  on  the 
different  senses  of  the  word  righteousness.  It  may  mean  all  that  the  law 
demands,  complete  obedience.  If  this  sense  of  the  word  be  adopted, 
then  the  passage  means  that  faith  was  laid  to  his  account  as  though  it 
were  complete  obedience ;  it  was  taken  for  righteousness.  This  inter- 
pretation is  perfectly  natural  and  consistent  with  the  constructure  of  the 
passage  and  the  usage  of  the  terms  ;  it  however  is  inconsistent  with  the 
apostle's  doctrine.  1.  It  contradicts  all  those  passages  in  which  the 
sac/ed  writers  teach  that  men  cannot  be  justified  by  any  of  their  own 
works.  Faith  is  as  much  a  work  as  prayer,  repentance,  almsgiving,  or 
any  other  act  of  obedience  to  God ;  and  therefore,  if  we  are  justified  on 
the  ground  of  our  faith,  or  if  faith  is  taken  in  place  of  complete  obe- 
dience to  the  law,  we  are  justified  by  works.  2.  It  contradicts  all  those 
passages  in  which  the  merit  of  Christ,  in  any  form,  is  said  to  be  the 
ground  of  our  acceptance.  S.  It  is  inconsistent  with  the  oflSce  assigned 
to  faith.  We  are  said  to  be  justified  by  or  through  faith,  but  never  on 
account  of  faith.     The  expression  by  "  faith  in  his  blood"  admits  of  no 


ROMANS  4:  1—17.  86K^ 

other  interpretation  than  'by  means  of  faith  in  the  blood  of  Christ  as  the 
ground  of  acceptance.'  It  lies  in  the  nature  of  a  sacrifice  that  the  offer- 
ing is  the  ground  of  acceptance ;  our  confidence  in  it,  or  our  faith,  is  the 
condition  of  its  being  accepted  on  our  behalf.  Faith  therefore  is  the  in- 
strumental, but  not  the  meritorious,  cause  of  justification.  4.  Accord- 
ingly the  sacred  writers  never  refer  us  to  our  faith,  or  to  any  thing  in 
ourselves,  as  the  ground  of  confidence  towards  God. 

According  to  the  second  view  the  word  righteousness  is  taken  in  a 
much  more  limited  sense,  and  the  phrase  '  to  impute  faith  for  righteous- 
ness' is  understood  to  mean  'faith  was  regarded  as  right,  it  was  ap- 
proved.' This  interpretation  also  is  perfectly  consistent  with  usage. 
Thus  Ps.  106 :  31,  it  is  said  o^  the  zeal  of  Phineas,  "  It  was  counted  to 
him  as  righteousness."  This,  of  course,  does  not  mean  that  it  was  re- 
garded as  complete  obedience  to  the  law,  and  taken  in  its  stead  as  the 
ground  of  justification.  It  means  simply  that  his  zeal  was  approved  of. 
It  was  regarded,  says  Dr.  Owen,  "  as  a  just  and  rewardable  action."  In 
like  manner,  Deut.  24:  13,  it  is  said  of  returning  a  pledge,  "It  shall  be 
righteousness  unto  thee  before  the  Lord  thy  God."  Agreeably  to  the 
analogy  of  these  passages  the  meaning  of  this  clause  may  be,  'his  faith 
was  regarded  as  right,  it  secured  the  approbation  of  God :'  how  it  did 
this  must  be  learned  from  other  passages. 

The  third  interpretation  assumes  that  the  word  translated  righteous' 
ness  means  here,  as  it  does  in  many  other  passages,  justification.  The 
sense  then  is,  'Faith  was  imputed  to  him  for  justification,'  i.  e.  that  he 
might  be  justified,  or  in  order  to  his  becoming  and  being  treated  as  right- 
eous ;  see  10 :  4,  "  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness,"  i.  e. 
in  order  that  every  one  that  believes  may  be  regarded  as  righteous.  No- 
thing is  more  familiar  than  tliis  use  of  the  preposition  here  used  by  the 
apostle.  It  points  out  the  design  with  which  any  thing  is  done,  as  "  unto 
repentance,"  that  men  may  repent.  Matt.  3:11;  "unto  death,"  that  we 
may  die,  Rom.  6:3.  So  'unto  salvation,'  Rom.  10  :  1 ;  'unto  condem- 
nation,' Luke  24  :  20.  Or  it  indicates  the  result;  Rom.  10  :  10,  "  With 
the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness,"  i.  e.  so  that  he  is  justified, 
regarded  and  treated  as  righteous.  This  view  of  the  passage  expresses 
accurately  the  apostle's  meaning.  It  was  not  as  '  one  who  works,'  but 
as  a  believer,  that  Abraham  was  regarded  in  his  justification.  It  Avas- 
not  works,  but  faith,  that  was  imputed  to  him,  in  order  to  his  being  in- 
troduced into  the  number  and  blessings  of  the  righteous.  Faith,  there- 
fore, was  not  the  ground  of  his  justification,  but  the  means  of  his  being 
justified. 

(4,  5)  Now  to  him  that  worketh  is  the  reward  not  reckoned  of  grace,  but 
of  debt,  but  to  him  that  worketh  not,  &c.  These  verses  arc  designed,  in 
the  first  place,  to  vindicate  the  pertinency  of  the  quotation  from  Scrip- 
ture made  in  v.  3 ;  by  showing  that  the  declaration  '  faith  was  imputed 
for  righteousness,'  is  a  denial  that  works  were  the  ground  of  Abraham's 
acceptance;  and,  secondly,  that  to  justify  by  faith  is  to  justify  gratui- 

h2 


90  ROMANS  4  :  1—17. 

tously,  and  therefore  all  passages  which  speak  of  gratuitous  acceptance 
are  in  favour  of  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith. 

Now  to  him  that  worketh^  that  is,  either  emphatically  '  to  him  who 
does  all  that  is  required  of  him  ;'  or  to  'him  who  seeks  to  be  accepted 
on  account  of  his  works.'  The  former  explanation  is  the  better.  The 
words  then  state  a  general  proposition,  '  To  him  that  is  obedient,  or  who 
performs  a  stipulated  work,  the  recompense  is  not  regarded  as  a  gratuity, 
but  as  a  debt.' 

(5)  But  to  him  that  worketh  not,  but  helieveth  on  him  who  justijieth 
the  ungodly,  to  him  faith  is  counted  for  righteousness.  "  To  him  that 
worketh  not,"  i.  e.  who  makes  no  pretence  of  earning  or  meriting  a  re- 
ward, but  renouncing  all  dependence  on  his  works,  "  helieveth  on  him 
who  justifieth  the  ungodly,"  to  him,  from  the  nature  of  the  case,  accept- 
ance is  a  gratuity.  It  lies  in  the  nature  of  the  faith  of  which  Paul 
speaks,  that  he  who  exercises  it  should  feel  and  acknowledge  that  he  is 
ungodly,  and  consequently  undeserving  of  the  favour  of  God.  He,  of 
course,  in  relying  on  the  mercy  of  God,  must  acknowledge  that  his  ac- 
ceptance is  a  matter  of  grace,  and  not  of  debt.  The  meaning  of  the 
apostle  is  plainly  this  :  '  To  him  that  worketh  the  reward  is  a  matter  of 
debt,  but  to  him  who  worketh  not,  but  believes  simply,  the  reward  is  a 
matter  of  grace.'  Instead,  however,  of  saying  'it  is  a  matter  of  grace,' 
he  uses  as  an  equivalent  expression,  "  to  him  faith  is  counted  for  right- 
eousness." That  is,  he  is  justified  by  faith.  To  be  justified  by  faith, 
therefore,  is  to  be  justified  gratuitously,  and  not  by  works.  It  is  thus 
he  proves  that  the  passage  cited  in  v.  3,  respecting  Abraham,  was  perti- 
nent to  his  purpose  as  an  argument  against  justification  by  works.  It  at 
the  same  time  shows  that  all  passages  which  speak  of  gratuitous  accept- 
ance, may  be  cited  in  proof  of  his  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith. 
The  way  is  thus  opened  for  his  second  argument,  which  is  derived  from 
the  testimony  of  David. 

It  is  to  be  remarked  that  Paul  speaks  of  God  as  justifying  the  un- 
godly. Of  course  they  are  regarded  and  treated  as  righteous,  not  on  the 
ground  of  their  personal  character;  and  it  is  further  apparent  that  justi- 
fication does  not  consist  in  making  one  inherently  just  or  holy  ;  for  it  is 
as  ungodly  that  those  who  believe  are  freely  justified  for  Christ's  sake. 
It  never  was  the  doctrine  of  the  reformation,  or  of  the  Lutheran  and  Cal- 
vinistic  divines,  that  the  imputation  of  righteousness  aflfected  the  moral 
character  of  those  concerned.  It  is  true,  whom  God  justifies  he  also 
sanctifies,  but  justification  is  not  sanctification,  and  the  imputation  of 
righteousness  is  not  the  infusion  of  righteousness. 

(6)  Even  as  David  also  describeth  the  blessedness  of  the  man  to  ivhom 
God  impufeth  righteousness  without  works.  Paul's  first  argument  in 
favour  of  gratuitous  justification  was  from  the  case  of  Abraham;  his 
second  is  from  the  testimony  of  David.  The  immediate  connexion  of 
this  verse  is  with  v.  5.  At  the  conclusion  of  that  verse  it  was  said,  to 
him  who  had  no  works  faith  is  imputed  in  order  to  his  justification,  i.  e 


ROMANS  4  :  1—17.  91 

he  is  justified  gratuitously,  even  as  David  speaks  of  the  blessedness  of 
him  whom,  although  destitute  of  merit,  God  regards  and  treats  as  right- 
eous. Descriheth  the  blessedness,  i.  e.  pronounces  blessed.  To  whom 
God  imputeih  righteousness  without  works,  that  is,  whom  God  regards  and 
treats  as  righteous,  although  he  is  not  in  himself  righteous.  The  meaning 
of  this  clause  cannot  be  mistaken.  '  To  impute  sin'  is  to  lay  sin  to  the 
charge  of  any  one,  and  to  treat  him  accordingly,  as  is  universally  admit- 
ted; so  'to  impute  righteousness'  is  to  set  righteousness  to  one's  ac- 
count, and  to  treat  him  accordingly.  This  righteousness  does  not,  of 
course,  belong  antecedently  to  those  to  whom  it  is  imputed,  for  they  are 
ungodly  and  destitute  of  works.  Here  then  is  an  imputation  to  men  of 
what  does  not  belong  to  them,  and  to  which  they  have  in  themselves  no 
claim.  To  impute  righteousness  is  the  apostle's  definition  of  the  term 
to  justify.  It  is  not  making  men  inherently  righteous,  or  morally  pure, 
but  it  is  regarding  and  treating  them  as  just.  This  is  done,  not  on  the 
ground  of  personal  character  or  works,  but  on  the  ground  of  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ.  As  this  is  dealing  with  men,  not  according  to  merit, 
but  in  a  gracious  manner,  the  passage  cited  from  Ps.  32  :  1,  2,  is  pre- 
cisely in  point,  "  Blessed  are  they  whose  iniquities  are  forgiven,  and 
whose  sins  are  covered.  Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  will  not 
impute  sin."  That  is,  blessed  is  the  man  who,  although  a  sinner,  is  re- 
garded and  treated  as  righteous.  As  the  remission  of  sin  is  necessarily 
connected  with  restoration  to  God's  favmir,  the  apostle  speaks  of  it  as  the 
whole  of  justification  ;  not  that  the  idea  of  remission  exhausts  the  whole 
idea  of  justification,  but  it  necessarily  implies  the  rest.  In  like  manner, 
in  Eph.  1 :  7,  it  is  said,  "  In  whom  we  have  redemption,  the  forgiveness 
of  sin  ;"  which  does  not  imply  that  forgiveness  is  the  whole  of  redemp- 
tion, that  the  gift  of  the  Spirit,  the  glorification  of  the  body,  and  eternal 
life,  which  are  so  constantly  spoken  of  as  fruits  of  Christ's  work  and 
parts  of"  the  purchased  possession"  (Eph.  1 :  14),  are  to  be  excluded. 

(9)  Cometh  this  blessedness  upon  the  circumcision  only,  or  upon  the  uncir- 
cumcision  also?  &e.  The  apostle's  third  argument,  commencing  with 
this  verse  and  continuing  to  the  12lh,  has  special  reference  to  circumci- 
sion. He  had  proved  that  Abraham  was  not  justified  on  account  of  his 
works  generally;  he  now  proves  that  circumcision  is  neither  the  ground 
nor  condition  of  his  acceptance.  The  proof  of  this  point  is  brief  and  con- 
clusive. It  is  admitted  that  Abraham  was  justified.  The  only  question 
is,  was  it  before  or  after  his  circumcision  1  If  before,  it  certainly  was 
not  on  account  of  it.  As  it  was  before,  circumcision  must  have  had  some 
other  object. 

'  Cometh  this  blessedness.^  There  is  nothing  in  the  original  to  answer 
to  the  word  comeih,  although  some  word  of  the  kind  must  be  supplied. 
The  word  rendered  blessedness  means  more  properly  '  declaration  of  bless- 
edness.' 'This  declaration  of  blessedness,  is  it  upon,  i.  e.  is  it  about, 
does  it  concern  the  circumcision  only]'  The  preposition  used  by  the 
apostle  often  points  out  the  direction  of  an  action,  or  the  object  concerning 


93  ROMANS  4:  1—17. 

which  any  thing  is  said.  This  question  has  not  direct  reference  to  the 
persons  to  whom  the  offers  of  acceptance  are  applicable,  as  though  it 
were  equivalent  to  asking,  'Is  this  blessedness  confined  to  the  Jews,  or 
may  it  be  extended  to  the  Gentiles  also  V  because  this  is  not  the  subject 
now  in  hand.  It  is  the  ground  or  condition  of  acceptance,  and  not  the 
persons  to  whom  the  offer  is  to  be  made,  that  is  now  under  consideration. 
The  question,  therefore,  is,  in  substance,  this,  '  Does  this  declaration  of 
blessedness  relate  to  the  circumcised,  as  such  ?  Is  circumcision  neces- 
sary to  justification  ]'  which  is  the  blessing  of  which  Paul  is  speaking. 

For  we  say  that  faith  was  reckoned  to  Abraham  for  righteousness. 
For  merely  indicates  the  resumption  of  the  case  of  Abraham.  The  pre- 
ceding verses  are  occupied  with  the  testimony  of  David,  which  decided 
nothing  as  to  the  point  of  circumcision.  To  determine  whether  this  rite 
was  a  necessary  condition  of  acceptance,  it  was  requisite  to  refer  again  to 
the  case  of  Abraham.  To  decide  the  point  presented  in  the  question  at 
the  beginning  of  the  verse,  the  apostle  argues  from  the  position  already 
established.  It  is  conceded  or  proved  that  Abraham  was  justified  by 
faith ;  to  determine  whether  circumcision  is  necessary,  we  have  only  to 
ask,  under  what  circumstances  was  he  thus  justified,  before  or  after  cir- 
cumcision ? 

(10)  How  was  it  then  reckoned?  When  he  was  in  circumcision  or  un- 
circumcision?  Not  in  circumcision,  hut  in  uncircumcision.  Of  course, 
his  circumcision,  which  vi^as  long  subsequent  to  his  justification,  could 
not  be  either  the  ground  or  necessary  condition  of  his  acceptance  with 
God. 

(11)  And  he  received  the  sign  of  circumcision,  the  seal  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  faith  which  he  had,  yet  being  uncircumcised,  &c.  As  Paul  had 
shown  that  circumcision  was  not  the  condition  of  justification,  it  became 
necessary  to  declare  its  true  nature  and  design.  TTie  sign  of  circumci- 
sion, i.  e.  circumcision  which  was  a  sign  (genitive  of  apposition)  ;  as 
"  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit,"  for  '  the  Spirit  which  is  an  earnest,'  2  Cor.  1  : 
22.  The  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith,  &c.  The  phrase  righteousness 
of  faith  is  a  concise  expression  '  for  righteousness  which  is  attained  by 
faith,'  or,  as  it  stands  more  fully  in  Phil.  3:9,  "  the  righteousness  of 
God,  which  is  by  faith."  The  word  righteousness,  in  such  connexions, 
includes,  with  the  idea  of  excellence  or  obedience,  that  of  consequent 
blessedness.  It  is  the  '  state  of  acceptableness  with  God.'  The  circumci- 
sion of  Abraham  was  designed  to  confirm  to  him  the  fact,  that  he  was 
regarded  and  treated  by  God  as  righteous,  through  faith,  which  was  the 
means  of  his  becoming  interested  in  the  promise  of  redemption.  This 
was  a  faith  which  Abraham  had,  being  yet  uncircumcised,  literally,  by  or 
with  uncircumcision  ;  see  ch.  2 :  27,  where  the  same  preposition  is  used, 
as  it  is  here,  to  indicate  the  state  or  condition  in  which  a  person  is. 

That  he  might  be  the  father  of  all  that  believe,  though  they  be  not  cir- 
cumcised, &c.  '  That  he  might  be  ;'  the  form  of  expression  in  the  origi- 
nal may  signify  either  the  design  or  result.     If  the  former,  as  it  is  taken 


ROMANS  4:  1—17.  95 

■»» 

in  our  version,  the  meaning  is,  that  the  annunciation  of  the  justification 
of  Abraham  before  his  circumcision,  was  with  the  design  that  he  might 
be  the  father  of  uncircumcised  believers.  If  the  latter,  the  sense  is,  »  He 
was  thus  justified,  AcTice  he  is,' &c.  Either  method  suits  the  context; 
the  latter  seems,  however,  the  more  natural.  The  word  father  is  often 
used  to  express  the  general  idea  of  dependence,  as  of  a  disciple  on  a  mas- 
ter (hence  it  is  applied  to  teachers  in  religion.  Abbas,  Papa,  Pope,  Pater, 
the  Fathers,  &c.)  ;  of  a  follower  on  a  leader,  &c.  Hence,  the  inventor  or 
author  of  any  thing  is  called  z.  father  ;  Gen.  4  :  20,  "The  father  of  all 
those  who  handle  the  organ."  Abraham  is  called  the  "  father  of  the 
faithful,"  as  their  leader,  from  being  the  first  conspicuous  example  of 
faith  recorded  in  the  Scriptures,  and  from  being  the  head  of  the  family  of 
God,  i.  e.  of  his  peculiar  people.  As  the  church,  under  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, stood  in  this  relation  to  Abraham,  it  was  not  disowned  by  those 
introduced  into  it,  when  the  middle  wall  of  partition  between  the  Jews 
and  Gentiles  was  broken  down.  To  be  a  child  of  Abraham  is  to  be  like 
him,  to  have  the  same  faith  that  he  had.  Gal.  3:7;  and,  of  course,  as 
their  head,  leader,  and  example,  Abraham  is  the  father  of  all  those  who 
believe. 

Of  all  that  believe,  though  they  be  not  circumcised,  literally,  '  of  all  be- 
lieving with  (or  in)  uncircumcision  ;'  see  the  previous  clause,  and  ch.  2 ; 
27.  That  righteousness  might  be  imputed  unto  them  also.  The  connexion 
and  design  of  these  words  are  not  very  clear,  and  they  are,  therefore, 
variously  explained.  They  may  be  considered  as  explanatory  of  the 
former  clause,  and,  therefore,  connected  with  the  first  part  of  the  verse. 
The  sense  would  then  be,  'Abraham  was  justified,  being  yet  uncircum- 
cised, that  he  might  be  the  father  of  believers,  although  uncircumcised, 
that  is,  that  righteousness  might  be  imputed  unto  them  also.'  But  the 
logical  connexion  is  not  thus  very  plain,  as  the  justification  of  Abraham 
was  not  designed  to  secure  the  justification  of  others.  This  clause  is 
most  commonly  regarded  as  a  parenthesis,  designed  to  indicate  the  point 
of  resemblance  between  Abraham  and  those  of  whom  he  is  called  the 
father.  '  He  is  the  father  of  uncircumcised  believers,  since  they  also 
are  justified  by  faith  as  he  was.'  Righteousness  was  imputed  to  them; 
see  above,  vs.  3,  6. 

(12)  And  the  father  of  circumcision  to  them  who  are  not  of  the  circum- 
eision  only,  but  who  also  walk,  &c.  "  Father  vf  circumcision'^  means 
'the  father  of  the  circumcised.'  As,  in  Hebrew,  the  expression  occurs 
"  father  to,"  as  well  as  "  father  of,"  Paul  uses  the  former  expression  here, 
'Father  to  them;'  see  2  Sam.  7:  14.  Heb.  1  :  5.  The  meaning  of  this 
verse  is  doubtful.  Agreeably  to  our  version,  which  adheres  closely  to 
the  Greek,  the  meaning  is,  '  Abraham  is  not  the  father  of  the  uncircum- 
cised believers  only,  as  stated  in  v.  11,  but  he  is  the  father  of  the  circum- 
cised also,  provided  they  follow  the  example  of  his  faith.'  According  to 
this  view,  as  the  11th  verse  declares  him  to  be  the  father  of  believing 
Gentiles,  this  presents  him  as  the  father  of  believing  Jews,  i.  e.  of  those 


94  ROMANS  4  :  1—17. 

Jews  which  have  some  better  bond  of  connexion  with  him  than  circum- 
cision merely.  But,  according  to  another  interpretation,  this  verse 
includes  both  classes  of  his  spiritual  seed.  '  He  is  the  father  of  the  cir- 
cumcision, and  not  of  the  circumcision  only,  but  of  those  also  who  follow 
his  faith  which  he  had,  being  yet  uncircumcised.'  The  construction  in 
the  Greek  is  in  favour  of  the  former  method.  The  expression  is,  'To 
those  who  are  not  of  the  circumcision  only,  but,  &c.'  instead  of  being, 
'  Not  to  those  only  who  are,'  &c.,  as  the  latter  interpretation  would 
require  ;  compare  v.  16. 

Verses  13 — 16  contain  two  additional  arguments  in  favour  of  the 
apostle's  doctrine.  The  first,  vs.  13,  14,  is  the  same  as  that  presented 
more  at  length  in  Gal.  3 :  18,  &c.,  and  is  founded  on  the  nature  of  a 
covenant.  The  promise,  having  been  made  to  Abraham  (and  his  seed) 
on  the  condition  of  faith,  cannot  now,  consistently  with  fidelity,  be  made 
to  depend  on  obedience  to  the  law.  The  second  argument,  vs.  15,  16,  is 
from  the  nature  of  the  law  itself. 

(13)  For  the  promise  thai  he  should  he  heir  of  the  world  was  not  to 
Abraham  or  to  his  seed,  &c.  The  word  for  does  not  connect  this  verse 
with  the  one  immediately  preceding,  as  a  proof  of  the  insufficiency  of 
circumcision.  It  rather  marks  the  introduction  of  a  new  argument  in 
favour  of  the  general  proposition  which  the  chapter  is  designed  to  esta- 
blish. As  Abraham  was  not  justified  for  his  circumcision,  so  neither 
was  it  on  account  of  his  obedience  to  the  law.  The  promise  here  spoken 
of  is,  that  Abraham  and  his  seed  should  be  the  heirs  of  the  world.  The 
word  heir  in  Scripture  frequently  means  secure  possessor,  Heb.  1  :  2. 
6:  17.  11 :  7,  &c.  This  use  of  the  term  probably  arose  from  the  fact, 
that  among  the  Jews,  possession  by  inheritance  was  much  more  secure 
and  permanent  than  that  obtained  by  purchase.  As  no  such  promise  as 
that  mentioned  in  this  verse  is  contained,  in  so  many  words,  in  the  Old 
Testament,  the  apostle  must  have  designed  to  express  what  he  knew  to 
be  the  purport  of  those  actually  given.  The  expression,  however,  has 
been  variously  explained.  1.  Some  understand  the  world  to  mean  the 
land  of  Canaan  merely.  But  in  the  first  place,  this  is  a  very  unusual,  if 
not  an  entirely  unexampled  use  of  the  word.  And,  in  the  second  place, 
this  explanation  is  inconsistent  with  the  context ;  for  Paul  has  reference 
to  a  promise  of  which,  as  appears  from  v.  16,  believing  Gentiles  were  to 
partake.  2.  Others  understand  the  apostle  to  refer  to  the  promise  that 
Abraham  should  be  the  father  of  many  nations.  Gen.  17  :  5,  and  his  pos- 
terity be  as  numerous  as  the  stars  of  heaven.  Gen.  15:5;  promises  which 
they  limit  to  his  natural  descendants,  who,  being  widely  scattered,  may 
be  said,  in  a  limited  sense,  to  possess  the  world.  But  this  interpreta- 
tion is  irreconcilable  with  v.  16.  3.  Besides  the  promises  already  referred 
to,  it  was  also  said,  that  in  him  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  should  be 
blessed.  Gen.  12:  3.  This,  as  Paul  explains  it,  Gal.  3:  16,  &c.,  had 
direct  reference  to  the  blessings  of  redemption  through  Jesus  Christ,  who 
was  the  seed  of  Abraham.   And  here,  too,  he  speaks  of  blessings  of  which 


ROMANS  4:  1—17.  $K| 

all  believers  partake.  The  possession  of  the  world,  therefore,  here 
intended,  must  be  understood  in  a  manner  consistent  with  these  passages. 
The  expression  is  frequently  taken  in  a  general  sense,  as  indicating  gene- 
ral prosperity  and  happiness.  "  To  be  heir  of  the  world"  would  then 
mean  to  be  prosperous  and  happy,  in  the  best  sense  of  the  words.  Re- 
ference is  made,  in  support  of  this  interpretation,  to  such  passages  as 
Matt.  5:5,"  The  meek  shall  inherit  the  earth  ;"  Ps.  25  :  13,  «  The  seed 
of  the  righteous  shall  inherit  the  earth;"  Ps.  37:  11.  The  promise 
then,  to  be  the  heir  of  the  world,  is  a  general  promise  of  blessedness. 
And  as  the  happiness  promised  to  believers,  or  the  pious  as  such,  is,  of 
course,  the  happiness  consequent  on  religion,  and  is  its  reward,  the  pro- 
mise in  this  sense  may  include  all  the  blessings  of  redemption.  So  in 
Gal.  3:  14,  Paul  uses  the  expression  "that  the  blessing  of  Abraham 
might  come  on  the  Gentiles,"  as  equivalent  to  saying,  '  that  all  the  bless- 
ings of  the  gospel  might  come  upon  them."  4.  Or  the  promises  in 
question  may  have  reference  to  the  actual  possession  of  the  world  by  the 
spiritual  seed  of  Abraham,  and  Christ  their  head.  The  declaration  that 
Abraham  should  be  the  father  of  many  nations,  and  that  his  seed  should 
be  as  the  stars  of  heaven  for  multitude,  included  far  more  than  that  his 
natural  descendants  should  be  very  numerous.  If  they  who  are  of  faith 
*  are  the  seed  of  Abraham,  and  heirs  of  the  promise,'  Gal.  3  :  9,  29,  then 
will  the  promise,  as  stated  by  the  apostle,  have  its  literal  accomplish- 
ment ;  when  the  kingdoms  of  Jhis  world  are  given  to  the  saints  of  the 
most  high  God  (Dan.  7 :  27),  and  when  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth 
become  the  possession  of  Christ.  In  this  sense,  the  promise  includes 
the  universal  prevalence  of  the  true  religion,  involving,  of  course,  the 
advent  of  Christ,  the  establishment  of  his  kingdom,  and  all  its  consequent 
blessings. 

The  promise  to  Abraham  and  his  seed  was  not  through  the  law.,  hut 
through  the  righteousness  of  faith.  That  is,  it  was  not  on  condition  of 
obedience  to  the  law,  but  on  condition  of  his  having  that  righteousness 
which  is  obtained  by  faith.  Through  the  law  is,  therefore,  equivalent  to 
through  the  works  of  the  law.,  as  appears  from  its  opposition  to  the  latter 
clause, '  righteousness  of  faith.'  By  the  law  is  to  be  understood  the  whole 
rule  of  duty,  as  in  other  passages  of  the  same  kind  ;  see  3:20.  In  this 
sense  it  of  course  includes  the  Mosaic  law,  which,  to  the  Jews,  was  the 
most  prominent  portion  of  the  revealed  will  of  God,  and  by  obedience  to 
which  especially  they  hoped  for  the  mercy  of  God. 

(14)  For  if  they  who  are  of  the  law  he  heirs.,  &c.  The  original  con- 
dition being  faith,  if  another  be  substituted  the  covenant  is  broken,  the 
promise  violated,  and  the  condition  made  of  none  effect.  "They  who 
are  of  the  law"  sometimes,  as  v.  16,  means  the  Jews,  i.  e.  those  who 
have  the  law;  compare  v.  12,  "Those  of  circumcision,"  &c.  But  here 
it  means  legalists.,  those  who  seek  justification  by  the  works  of  the  law ; 
as  'those  who  are  of  faith'  are  helievers,  those  who  seek  justification  by 
faith ;  compare  Gal.  3  :  10,  "  As  many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law  are 


9Q  ROMANS  4  :  1—17. 

under  the  curse,"  i.  e.  as  many  as  seek  acceptance  by  their  own  works. 
The  apostle's  meaning,  therefore,  obviously  is,  that  if  those  who  rely 
upon  their  own  works  are  the  heirs  of  the  promise,  and  are  accepted  on 
the  condition  of  obedience  to  the  law,  the  whole  covenant  is  broken^  faith 
is  made  void,  and  the  promise  made  of  none  effect.  "  Is  made  void"  is  ren- 
dered useless  ;  see  1  Cor.  1 :  17,  "  The  cross  of  Christ  is  made  useless," 
9 :  15,  &c. ;  compare  1  Cor.  15  :  17,  "  Your  faith  is  vain,"  not  only 
without  foundation,  but  of  no  use.  The  promise  is  made  of  none  effect, 
i.  e.  is  invalidated;  see  ch.  3  :  3,  31. 

(15)  Because  the  law  worketh  wrath,  &c.  This  verse  is  not  to  be  con- 
nected with  the  14th,  as  the  punctuation  in  our  version  would  intimate, 
as  though  it  contained  a  proof  of  the  declaration  there  made,  that  faith 
and  the  promise  would  be  invalidated  if  works  were  made  the  ground  of 
acceptance.  For  although  it  is  true  that  this  conclusion  would  follow 
from  the  nature  of  the  law,  inasmuch  as  it  requires  perfect  obedience, 
and  all  who  trust  in  it  are  under  the  curse,  and  of  course  not  the  heirs  of 
the  promise ;  yet  this  idea  is  not  presented  as  a  proof  that  the  promise 
must  fail.  That  was  proved  in  a  different  way  in  the  previous  verse. 
The  argument  from  the  nature  of  the  law  is  intended  to  bear  on  the  gene- 
ral proposition  that  justification  is  not  by  works.  This  verse,  therefore, 
contains  the  fourth  argument  in  the  apostle's  reasoning  in  support  of  his 
main  doctrine. 

Worketh  wrath,  i.  e.  causes  men  to  suffer  wrath  or  punishment.  This, 
however,  the  law  does  in  two  ways,  and,  therefore,  there  are  two  me- 
thods of  explaining  this  verse.  The  law  is  condemnatory,  its  sanction 
or  penalty  is  an  essential  part  of  it,  and  it  is  only  in  virtue  of  law  that 
sin  is  punished ;  for  sin  is  not  imputed  or  punished  where  there  is  no 
law  ;  or,  where  there  is  no  law  there  is  no  transgression.  The  idea  and 
argument  then  are,  that  it  is  the  office  of  the  law  to  condemn,  and  not  to 
justify.  As  it  requires  perfect  obedience,  and  says,  "  cursed  is  every 
one  who  continueth  not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do 
them,"  all  who  are  under  the  law  are  under  the  curse.  ^For  sinners, 
therefore,  salvation  by  the  law  is  from  its  very  nature  impossible.  Ac- 
cording to  this  view  the  argument  of  the  apostle  is  analogous  to  that  in 
Gal.  3:10.  But  there  is  another  way  in  which  the  law  works  wrath  ; 
it  excites  and  exasperates  the  evil  passions  of  the  heart.  Not  from  any 
defect,  indeed,  in  the  law  itself,  but  from  the  nature  of  sin.  This  idea 
the  apostle  frequently  presents,  7  :  5,  &c.  8  :  3.  The  meaning  then  is, 
that  the  law  which,  instead  of  freeing  men  from  sin,  incidentally  renders 
these  transgressions  more  numerous  and  conspicuous,  and  thus  brings 
them  more  and  more  under  condemnation,  is  not,  from  its  nature,  capable 
of  securing  the  justification  of  men.  This  is  perhaps  the  most  com- 
monly received  view  of  the  passage.  The  former,  however,  seems  more 
natural,  and  better  suited  to  the  context. 

For  where  there  is  no  law  there  is  no  transgression.  The  meaning 
given  to  this  clause  depends  upon  the  view  taken  of  the  preceding  one 


ROMANS  4  :  1—17.  97 

Calvin  and  others  understand  it  as  explaining:  the  method  in  which  the 
law  works  wrath,  or  calls  down  the  displeasure  of  God.  It  is  because 
sin,  by  the  knowledge  imparted  by  the  law,  is  rendered  less  excusable, 
and  deserving  of  severer  punishment.  7\-ansgrcssion  is  understood  em- 
phatically for  the  contumacious  violation  of  the  known  will  of  God. 
But,  according  to  the  former  of  the  two  explanations  given  of  the  first 
clause,  this  more  naturally  expresses  the  general  idea  that  law  and  trans- 
gression are  correlative  terms ;  the  latter  implies  the  former.  If  there 
were  no  law  there  could  be  no  transgression,  and  therefore  no  punish- 
ment. It  is  the  law,  therefore,  which  gives  sin  its  condemning  power. 
This  being  the  case,  it  is  obvious  that  the  law  which  secures  the  punish- 
ment of  sin,  cannot  be  the  means  of  the  sinner's  justification. 

(16)  Therefore  it  is  of  faith,  that  it  might  be  of  grace;  to  the  ena 
that  the  promise  might  be  sure  to  all  the  seed,  &c.  This  and  the  fol- 
lowing verse  contain  the  conclusion  from  the  previous  reasoning,  and 
especially  from  the  two  preceding  arguments.  The  expression  in  the 
original  is  simply  therefore  rf  faith.  It  matters  little,  as  to  the  sense, 
whether  the  words  we  are  heirs  be  supplied  from  v.  14,  or  the  word  pro- 
mise from  V.  13.  'Therefore  the  promise  is  of  faith,'  that  it  might  be  of 
grace,  see  vs.  4,  5,  i.  e.  not  of  works ;  for  if  of  works,  as  Paul  had  just 
shown,  the  covenant  would  be  broken,  and  the  promise  invalidated.  If 
this  condition  be  insisted  upon,  no  one,  from  the  very  nature  of  the  law, 
can  be  saved.  But,  being  of  faith  and  gratuitous,  it  is  sure  to  all  the 
seed.  The  words  rendered  to  the  end  are  the  same  as  those  which  oc- 
cur V.  11,  and  express  either  the  design  or  result.  The  sense  may  there- 
fore be,  '  It  is  of  faith,  in  order  that  it  might  be  sure,'  &c.  or,  '  It  is  of 
faith,  and  hence  is  sure,'  &c.  To  all  the  seed,  i.  e.  all  the  children  of 
Abraham,  as  well  those  which  are  of  the  law,  i.  e.  Jews,  see  Acts  10 :  45, 
&c.,  as  those  which  are  of  the  faith  of  Abraham,  i.  e.  the  Gentiles,  whose 
only  bond  of  union  with  Abraham  is  the  possession  of  the  same  faith 
which  he  had ;  see  Gal.  3  :  7,  &c.  Who  is  the  father  of  us  all.  It  is 
in  this  sense  that  Abraham  is  the  father,  the  head  and  leader  of  all  be- 
lievers who  are  his  children,  because  they  are  like  him,  and  heirs  of  the 
promise  made  to  him,  whether  the)'  be  Jews  or  Gentiles.  Gal.  3 :  29, 
"If  ye  be  Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  according  to 
the  promise." 

(17)  .^s  it  is  written,  I  have  made  thee  father  of  many  nations.  Gen. 
17  :  5.  This  declaration,  the  apostle  informs  us,  contains  a  great  deal 
more  than  the  assurance  that  the  natural  descendants  of  Abraham  should 
be  very  numerous.  Taken  in  connexion  with  the  promise  that  "  in  him 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth  should  be  blessed,"  it  refers  to  his  spiritual 
as  well  as  his  natural  seed,  and  finds  its  full  accomplishment  in  the  ex- 
tension of  the  blessing  promised  to  him  to  those  of  all  nations  who  are 
his  children  by  faith.  This  clause  is  very  properly  marked  as  a  paren- 
thesis, as  the  preceding  one,  "who  is  the  father  of  us  all,"  must  be  con- 
nected immediately  with  the  following  words,  before  him  whom  he  be- 

I 


98  ROMANS  4  :  1—17. 

Iteved,  even  God  who  quickendh  the  dead,  &c.  The  original  here  is 
very  difficult.  The  most  probable  explanation  is  that  which  resolves 
the  sentence  much  in  the  same  manner  as  in  our  own  version,  "  Before 
God,  in  whom  he  believed,"  i.  e.  he  is  the  father  of  us  all,  in  the  sight 
or  estimation  of  that  God  in  whom  he  believed. 

God  is  here  described  as  quickening  the  dead,  and  calling  those  things 
which  be  not  as  though  they  were.  This  passage  is  very  variously  ex- 
plained. It  may  be  considered,  1.  As  a  description  of  the  omnipotence 
of  God.  The  promise  made  to  Abraham  seemed  impossible  of  fulfilment, 
yet  he  believed  in  that  Almighty  God  '  who  quickens  the  dead,  and  calls, 
i.  e.  commands  and  controls,  things  that  are  not  as  though  they  were.' 
2.  It  may  be  explained  more  in  reference  to  the  divine  omniscience.  God 
foresaw  how  numerous  would  be  the  spiritual  seed  of  Abraham.  He 
was  declared  to  be  the  father  of  many  nations  in  the  sight  of  that  God 
who  sees  the  end  from  the  beginning,  who  wakes  up  the  dead,  and  before 
whom  the  future  and  the  present,  the  nonexistent  and  the  already  existing, 
are  alike.  Both  these  ideas  may  be  united  ;  the  object  of  Abraham's  faith 
was  the  almighty  and  all-seeing  God,  who  sees  and  controls  the  living 
and  the  dead,  the  future  and  the  present,  with  equal  ease.  The  idea  of 
the  divine  power  is  so  prominently  presented  in  the  following  verses, 
19 — 21,  that  it  certainly  should  not  be  omitted  here.  When  Paul  speaks 
of  God,  especially  as  the  object  of  faith,  it  is  not  unusual  for  him  to  add 
some  descriptive  clause,  declarative  of  some  of  his  attributes  or  acts,  as 
the  special  ground  of  confidence ;  compare  v.  24. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  If  the  greatest  and  best  men  of  the  old  dispensation  had  to  renounce 
entirely  dependence  upon  their  works,  and  to  accept  of  the  favour  of 
God  as  a  gratuity,  justification  by  works  must,  for  all  men,  be  impossible, 
vs.  2,  3. 

2.  No  man  can  glory,  that  is,  complacently  rejoice,  in  his  own  good- 
ness in  the  sight  of  God.  And  this  every  man  of  an  enlightened  con- 
science feels.  The  doctrine  of  justification  by  works,  therefore,  is  incon- 
sistent with  the  inward  testimony  of  conscience,  and  can  never  give  true 
peace  of  mind,  v.  2. 

3.  The  two  methods  of  justification  cannot  be  united.  They  are  as 
inconsistent  as  wages  and  a  free  gift.  If  of  works,  it  is  not  of  grace ;  and 
if  of  grace,  it  is  not  of  works,  vs.  4,  5. 

4.  As  God  justifies  the  ungodly,  it  cannot  be  on  the  ground  of  their 
own  merit,  but  must  be  by  the  imputation  of  a  righteousness  which  does 
not  personally  belong  to  them,  and  which  they  received  by  faith,  vs.  5, 
6,  11. 

5.  The  blessings  of  the  gospel,  and  the  method  of  justification  which 
it  proposes,  are  suited  to  all  men  ;  and  are  not  to  be  confined  by  sectarian 
limits,  or  bound  down  to  ceremonial  observances,  vs.  9 — 11. 

6.  The  sacraments  and  ceremonies 'of  the  church,  although  in  the 


ROMANS  4:  1—17.  99 

highest  degree  useful  when  viewed  in  their  proper  light,  become  ruinous 
when  perverted  into  grounds  of  confidence.  What  answers  well  as  a 
sign  is  a  miserable  substitute  for  the  thing  signified.  Circumcision 
will  not  serve  for  righteousness,  nor  baptism  for  regeneration,  v.  10. 

7.  As  Abraham  is  the  father  of  all  believers,  all  believers  are  brethren. 
There  is  neither  Jew  nor  Gentile,  bond  nor  free  among  them  as  Chris- 
tians, vs.  11,  12. 

8.  The  seed  of  Abraham,  or  true  believers,  with  Jesus  Christ  their 
head,  are  the  heirs  of  the  world.  To  them  it  will  ultimately  belong; 
even  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  shall  be  their  possession,  v.  13. 

9.  To  speak  of  justification  by  obedience  to  a  law  which  we  have 
broken  is  a  solecism.     That  which  condemns  cannot  justify,  v.  15. 

10.  No  blessing  is  sure  for  sinners  that  is  not  gratuitous.  A  promise 
suspended  on  obedience  they  could  never  render  sure.  One  entirely 
gratuitous  needs  only  to  be  accepted  to  become  ours,  v.  16. 

11.  It  is  the  entire  freeness  of  the  gospel,  and  its  requiring  faith  as  the 
condition  of  acceptance,  which  renders  it  suited  to  all  ages  and  nations, 
v.  16. 

12.  The  proper  object  of  faith  is  the  divine  promise  ;  or  God  considered 
as  able  and  determined  to  accomplish  his  word,  v.  17. 

REMARKS. 

1.  The  renunciation  of  a  legal  self-righteous  spirit  is  the  first  requisi- 
tion of  the  gospel.  This  must  be  done,  or  the  gospel  cannot  be  accepted. 
*  He  who  works,'  i.  e.  who  trusts  in  his  works,  refuses  to  be  saved  by 
grace,  vs.  1 — 5. 

2.  The  more  intimately  we  are  acquainted  with  our  own  hearts  and 
with  the  character  of  God,  the  more  ready  shall  we  be  to  renounce  our 
own  righteousness  and  to  trust  in  his  mercy,  vs.  2,  3. 

3.  Those  only  are  truly  happy  and  secure  who,  under  a  sense  of  ill- 
desert  and  helplessness,  cast  themselves  upon  the  grace  and  promise  of 
God,  vs.  7,  8. 

4.  Nothing  is  more  natural,  and  nothing  has  occurred  more  extensively 
in  the  Christian  church,  than  the  perversion  of  the  means  of  grace  into 
grounds  of  dependence.  Thus  it  was  with  circumcision,  and  thus  it 
is  with  baptism,  the  Lord's  supper ;  thus  too  with  prayer,  fasting, 
&c.  &c.  This  is  the  rock  on  which  millions  have  been  shipwrecked, 
vs.  9—12. 

5.  There  is  no  hope  for  those,  who,  forsaking  the  grace  of  God,  take 
refuge  in  a  law  which  worketh  wrath,  v.  15. 

6.  All  things  are  ours  if  we  are  Christ's.  Heirs  of  the  life  that  now 
is,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come,  v.  13. 

7.  As  the  God  in  whom  believers  trust,  is  he  to  whom  all  things  are 
known,  and  all  things  are  subject,  they  should  be  strong  in  faith,  giving 
glory  to  God,  v.  17. 


100  ROMANS  4  :  18—25. 


CHAP.  4 :  18—25. 


^^Who  against  hope  believed  in  hope,  that  he  might  become  the  father 
of  many  nations,  according  to  that  which  was  spoken,  So  shall  thy  seed 
be.  ^^And  being  not  weak  in  faith,  he  considered  not  his  own  body  now 
dead,  when  he  was  about  an  hundred  years  old,  neither  yet  the  deadness 
of  Sarah's  womb  :  ^°he  staggered  not  at  the  promise  of  God  through  un- 
belief; but  was  strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God  ;  ^land  being  fully 
persuaded  that,  what  he  had  promised,  he  was  able  also  to  perform, 
23And  therefore  it  was  imputed  to  him  for  righteousness.  '^^Now  it  was 
not  written  for  his  sake  alone,  that  it  was  imputed  to  him ;  ^^but  for  us 
also,  to  whom  it  shall  be  imputed,  if  we  believe  on  him  that  raised  up 
Jesus  our  Lord  from  the  dead  ;  ^^who  was  delivered  for  our  offences,  and 
was  raised  again  for  our  justification. 


The  object  of  this  section  is  the  illustration  of  the  faith  of  Abraham, 
and  the  application  of  his  case  to  our  instruction.  With  regard  to  Abra- 
ham's faith,  the  apostle  states,  first,  its  object,  viz.  the  divine  promise, 
v.  18.  He  then  illustrates  its  strength,  by  a  reference  to  the  apparent 
impossibility  of  the  thing  promised,  vs.  19,  20.  The  ground  of  this  con- 
fidence  was  the  power  and  veracity  of  God,  v.  21.  The  consequence 
was  that  Abraham  was  justified  by  his  faith,  v.  22.  Hence  it  is  to  be 
inferred  that  this  is  the  true  method  of  justification;  for  the  record  was 
made  to  teach  us  this  truth.  We  are  situated  as  Abraham  was ;  we  are 
called  upon  to  believe  in  the  Almighty  God,  who,  by  raising  up  Christ 
from  the  dead,  has  accepted  him  as  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,  vs. 
23—25. 

COMMENTARY. 

18)  Who  against  hope  believed  in  hope,  that  is,  who  against  all  appa- 
rent grouna  of  hope,  confidently  believed.  In  hope,  with  hope,  or  confi- 
dently. Acts  2 :  26.  1  Cor.  9  :  10,  &c.  &c.  That  he  might  become  the 
father  of  many  nations.  This  clause,  as  it  stands  in  the  Greek,  may  ex- 
press either  thedesign  with  which  he  believed,  or  the  result  of  his  believ- 
ing, or  finally  the  object  of  his  faith.  '  He  believed  in  order  that  he 
might  be  the  father ;'  or,  '  He  believed,  and  hence  became  the  father,' 
&c. ;  or,  '  He  believed  that  he  should  be  the  father,'  &c.  The  last  would 
seem  best  to  suit  the  context,  but  it  is  not  so  consistent  with  the  con- 
struction of  the  passage.  According  to  that  which  was  spoken,  so  shall  thy 
seed  be.  This  is  a  reference  to  the  promise  which  was  the  object  of 
Abraham's  faith.  It  is  a  quotation  from  Gen.  15  :  5.  The  word  so  refers 
to  the  stars  of  heaven,  mentioned  in  the  passage  as  it  stands  in  the  Old 
Testament.  The  promise,  therefore,  particularly  intended  by  the  apostle, 
is,  that  Abraham  should  be  the  father  of  many  nations,  or  that  his  seed 


ROMANS  4:  18—25.  101 

ehould  be  as  numerous  as  the  stars.  It  has  already  been  seen,  however, 
that  the  apostle  understood  this  promise  as  including  far  more  than  that 
the  natural  descendants  of  Abraham  should  be  very  numerous ;  see  vs. 
13,  17.  The  expression  in  the  text  is  a  concise  allusion  to  the  various 
promises  made  to  the  ancient  patriarch,  which  had  reference  to  all  nations 
being  blessed  through  him.  The  promise  of  a  numerous  posterity, 
therefore,  included  the  promise  of  Christ  and  his  redemption.  This  is 
evident,  1.  Because  Paul  had  been  speaking  of  a  promise,  v.  16,  in  which 
believing  Jews  and  Gentiles  were  alike  interested  ;  see  Gal.  3  :  14. 
2.  Because  Paul  asserts  and  argues  that  the  seed  promised  to  Abraham, 
and  to  which  the  promise  related,  was  Jesus  Christ,  Gal.  3  :  16.  3.  So 
Abraham  himself  understood  it,  according  to  the  declaration  of  our 
Saviour;  John  8  :  56,  "Abraham  rejoiced  to  see  my  day,  and  he  saw  it 
and  was  glad."  He  looked  forward  under  the  greatest  discouragements 
to  the  Redeemer  as  yet  to  come  ;  we  have  the  easier  task  to  look  back  to 
the  same  Deliverer,  who  has  died  for  our  sins,  and  risen  again  for  our 
justification,  v.  25. 

(19)  And  not  being  weak  in  faith^  he  considered  not  his  own  body^ 
noiu  dead,  &c.  The  18th  verse  had  stated  it  was  contrary  to  all  appear- 
ances that  Abraham  believed ;  this  verse  states  the  circumstances  which 
lendered  the  accomplishment  of  the  promise  an  apparent  impossibility, 
viz.  his  own  advanced  age,  and  the  age  and  barrenness  of  his  wife. 
These  circumstances  he  did  not  consider,  that  is,  he  did  not  allow  them 
to  have  weight,  he  did  not  fix  his  mind  on  the  difficulties  of  the  case. 
Had  he  been  weak  in  faith,  and  allowed  himself  to  dwell  on  the  obsta- 
cles to  the  fulfilment  of  the  divine  promise,  he  would  have  staggered.* 

(20)  He  staggered  not  at  the  promise  of  God  through  unbelief,  &c. 
The  word  rendered  to  stagger  signifies,  in  the  middle  voice,  to  contend 
with  any  one,  to  be  in  strife  with  one''s  self,  to  doubt  or  hesitate.  Matt.  21  : 
21,  "  If  ye  have  faith,  and  doubt  not,"  &c.  '  He  was  not  in  doubt  as  to 
the  promise,'  &oc.;  see  the  same  use  of  the  preposition  here  used.  Acts 
25  :  20.  Luke  12  :'21,  &c.  &c.  But  ivas  strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to 
God,  that  is,  giving  God  credit  for  veracity  and  power,  influenced  by  a 
reverential  conviction  of  the  truth  and  ability  of  him  who  had  given  the 
promise.  To  give  glory  to  God  is  to  feel  and  act  in  a  manner  becoming 
the  divipe  character,  see  1  Sam.  6:5;  and  also  in  such  a  way  as  to 
cause  him  to  be  honoured  by  others.  Josh.  7  :  19,  &c.  &c.  To  believe 
the  divine  declarations  is,  therefore,  the  highest  honour  we  can  render 
God,  and  to  disbelieve  them  is  a  great  offence  to  the  divine  majesty; 
compare  1  John  5:10. 

(21)  And  being  fully  persuaded  that  what  he  had  promised  he  was  able 
also  to  perform.    This  verse  is  an  amplification  and  explanation  of  the 

*  The  fact  tho.t  Abraham,  many  years  after  the  promise  of  the  birth  of  Isaac, 
had  several  children  by  Keturah,  can  create  no  difficulty,  as  the  effect  of  the  divine 
po^^e^  doubtless  remained. 

i2 


103  ROMANS  4  :  18—25. 

last  clause  of  the  preceding  one.  He  gave  glory  to  God  by  being  fully 
persuaded  that  he  was  able  to  perform  his  promise.  The  ground  of 
Abraham's  confidence,  therefore,  was  not  the  nature  of  the  thing  promised, 
nor  the  facility  of  its  attainment,  but  the  divine  character  and  attributes. 

(22)  Therefore  it  was  imputed  to  him  for  righteousness.  The  it  of 
course  refers  to  the  extraordinary  faith  spoken  of  above.  It  was  im- 
puted to  him  in  order  to  his  being  regarded  and  treated  as  righteous ; 
see  above  on  v.  3. 

(23)  JVow  it  was  not  written  for  his  sake  alone  that  it  vms  imputed  to 
him.  This  and  the  following  verses  contain  the  application  of  the  case 
of  Abraham  to  our  instruction.  Paul  says  that  the  record  concerning  the 
justification  of  Abraham  was  not  made  merely  that  we  might  know  thai 
he  was  a  righteous  man  ;  or  as  though  justification  by  faith  were  some- 
thing peculiar  to  him. 

(24)  But  for  us  also,  to  whom,  it  shall  be  imputed,  if  we  believe,  &c. 
The  fact  that  faith  was  imputed  to  Abraham  for  his  justification  was 
placed  on  record  that  we  might  learn  the  true  method  of  justification. 
As  all  men  are  sinners,  and  consequently  stand  in  the  same  relation  to 
God,  the  method  in  which  he  justifies  one  is  the  same  as  that  in  which 
he  justifies  all ;  see  3  :  9,  22.  The  object  of  our  faith  is  described  as 
God  that  raised  up  Jesus  our  Lord  from  the  dead.  The  object  of  A"bra- 
ham's  faith  was  the  Almighty  and  Omniscient  God,  who  had  promised 
to  raise  up  to  him  a  seed  in  whom  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  should  be 
blessed.  The  object  of  our  faith  is  this  same  God  considered  as  recog- 
nising Jesus  our  Lord  to  be  this  long-promised  seed  and  deliverer,  by 
raising  him  from  the  dead. 

When  we  are  said  to  believe  in  God  who  raised  up  Christ,  it  of  course 
implies  that  we  believe  that  Christ  was  thus  raised  up.  As  the  resur- 
rection of  Christ  was  the  great  decisive  evidence  of  the  divinity  of  his 
mission,  and  the  validity  of  all  his  claims,  to  believe  that  he  rose  from 
the  dead  is  to  believe  he  was  the  Son  of  God,  the  propitiation  for 
our  sins,  the  Redeemer  and  the  Lord  of  men  ;  that  he  was  all  he  claimed 
to  be,  and  had  accomplished  all  he  purposed  to  effect ;  compare  Rom. 
10  :  9.  Acts  1  :  22.  4  :  33.  1  Cor.  15,  and  other  passages,  in  which  the  re- 
surrection of  Christ  is  spoken  of  as  the  corner-stone  of  the  gospel,  as  the 
great  fact  to  be  proved,  and  which,  being  proved,  involves  all  tjie  rest. 

(25)  TVho  was  delivered  for  our  offences,  and  raised  again  for  our 
justification.     This  verse  is  a  comprehensive  statement  of  the  gospel 

Christ  was  delivered  unto  death  for  our  offences,  i.  e.  on  account  of  them, 
and  for  their  expiation  ;  see  Isa.  53  :  5,  6.  Heb.  9  :  28.  1  Pet.  2 :  24. 
This  delivering  of  Christ  is  ascribed  to  God,  Rom.  8 :  32,  and  else- 
where;  and  to  himself.  Tit.  2  :  14.  Gal.  1 :  4.  It  was  by  the  divine 
purpose  and  counsel  he  suffered  for  the  expiation  of  sin ;  and  he  gave 
himself  willingly  to  death.  "  He  was  led  like  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter, 
and  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  opened  not  his  mouth.'" 
.S.nd  lOas  raised  again  for  our  justification,  i.  e.  that  we  might  be  jus- 


ROMANS  4:  18—25.  103 

tified.  The  resurrection  of  Christ  was  necessary  for  our  justification, 
inasmuch  as  it  was  the  formal  acceptance  of  his  sufferings,  as  the  expia- 
tion for  our  sins.  Had  he  not  risen  we  should  be  yet  under  condemna- 
tion, 1  Cor.  15 :  17.  But  as  he  rose  from  the  dead,  he  was  accepted  of 
the  Father,  and  appeared  as  the  first-fruits,  i.  e.  the  forerunner  and  pledge 
of  the  resurrection,  and  complete  salvation  of  all  his  people.  In  the 
epistle  to  the  Hebrews  the  apostle  presents  this  idea  under  another  form. 
As  it  was  necessary,  on  the  great  day  of  atonement,  that  the  high  priest 
should  not  only  slay  the  victim  at  the  altar,  but  enter  into  the  most  holy 
place,  and  v^iprinkle  the  blood  upon  the  mercy-seat;  so  our  High  Priest, 
having  suffered  in  the  outer  court,  has  passed  into  the  heavens  with  his 
own  blood,  there  to  appear  for  our  justification  ;  that  is,  to  secure  for  us 
the  continued  application  of  the  merits  of  his  death.  Either,  therefore, 
as  the  evidence  of  the  acceptance  of  his  sufferings  as  our  substitute,  or 
as  a  necessary  step  towards  securing  the  application  of  their  merit  to  our 
benefit,  the  resurrection  of  Christ  was  essential  to  our  justification. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  Faith  is  an  operative  assent  to  the  divine  testimony,  not  the  recep- 
tion of  truth,  as  something  which  can  be  proved  by  our  own  arguments, 
vs.  18,  20. 

2.  When  faith  is  genuine  it  is  founded  on  correct  apprehensions  of  the 
divine  character,  and  has  a  controlling  influence  over  the  heart  and  life, 
vs.  20,  21. 

3.  The  method  of  salvation  has  never  been  changed ;  Abraham  was 
not  only  saved  by  faith,  but  the  object  of  his  faith  was  the  same  as  the 
object  of  ours,  vs.  24,  17. 

4.  The  resurrection  of  Christ,  as  an  historical  fact,  established  by  the 
most  satisfactory  evidence  (see  1  Cor.  15),  authenticates  the  whole  gos- 
pel. As  surely  as  Christ  has  risen,  so  surely  shall  believers  be  saved, 
v.  25. 

REMARKS. 

1.  The  true  way  to  have  our  faith  strengthened  is  not  to  consider  the 
difhculties  in  the  way  of  the  thing  promised,  but  the  character  and  re- 
sources of  God  who  has  made  the  promise,  v.  19. 

2.  It  is  as  possible  for  faith  to  be  strong  when  the  thing  promised  is 
most  improbable  as  when  it  is  probable.  Abraham's  faith  should  serve 
as  an  example  and  admonition  to  us.  He  believed  that  a  Saviour  would 
be  born  from  his  family  when  his  having  a  son  was  an  apparent  impossi- 
bility. We  are  only  called  upon  to  believe  that  the  Saviour  has  been 
born,  has  suffered  and  risen  again  from  the  dead  :  facts  established  on 
the  strongest  historical  evidence,  vs.  20,  24,  25. 

3.  Unbelief  is  a  very  great  sin,  as  it  implies  a  doubt  of  the  veracity  and 
power  of  God,  vs.  20,  21. 

4.  All  that  is  written  in  the  Scriptures  is  for  our  instruction.     What  is 


104  ROMANS  5:  1—11. 

promised,  commanded  or  threatened  (unless  of  a  strictly  personal  nature) 
although  addressed  originally  to  individuals,  belongs  to  them  only  as  re- 
presentatives of  classes  of  men,  and  is  designed  for  all  of  similar  character 
and  in  similar  circumstances,  v.  23. 

5.  The  two  great  truths  of  the  gospel  are,  that  Christ  died  as  a  sacri- 
fice for  our  sins,  and  that  he  rose  again  for  our  justification.  Whosoever, 
from  the  heart,  believes  these  truths  shall  be  saved,  v.  25.  Rom.  10 :  9. 

6.  The  denial  of  the  propitiatory  death  of  Christ,  or  of  his  resurrection 
from  the  dead,  is  a  denial  of  the  gospel.  It  is  a  refusing  to  be  saved 
accordino-  to  the  method  which  God  has  appointed,  v.  25. 


CHAPTER  V. 


CONTENTS. 


From  verse  I  to  11  inclusive,  the  apostle  deduces  some  of  the  more 
obvious  and  consolatory  inferences  from  the  doctrine  of  gratuitous  justi- 
fication. From  the  12th  verse  to  the  end,  he  illustrates  his  great  princi- 
ple of  the  imputation  of  righteousness,  or  the  regarding  and  treating  "  the 
many"  as  righteous,  on  account  of  the  righteousness  of  one  man  Christ 
Jesus,  by  a  reference  to  the  fall  of  all  men  in  Adam. 

CHAP.  5:  1—11. 

^Therefore  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ:  ^by  whom  also  we  have  access  by  faith  into  this 
grace  wherein  we  stand,  and  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.  ^^nd 
not  only  so,  but  we  glory  in  tribulations  also:  knowing  that  tribulation 
worketh  patience ;  *and  patience,  experience ;  and  experience,  hope : 
^and  hope  maketh  not  ashamed  ;  because  the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad 
in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  unto  us.  ^For  when  we 
were  yet  without  strength,  in  due  time  Christ  died  for  the  ungodly.  ^For 
scarcely  for  a  righteous  man  will  one  die :  yet  peradventure  for  a  good 
man  some  would  even  dare  to  die.  "But  God  commendeth  his  love 
towards  us,  in  that,  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us.  ^Much 
more  then,  being  now  justified  by  his  blood,  we  shall  be  saved  from 
wrath  through  him.  *°For  if,  when  we  were  enemies,  we  were  recon- 
ciled to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son,  much  more,  being  reconciled,  we 
shall  be  saved  by  his  life.  *^And  not  only  so,  but  we  also  joy  in  God 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  we  have  now  received  the 
atonement. 


The  first  consequence  of  justification  by  faith  is,  that  we  have  peace 
vvith  God,  v.  1.    The  second,  that  we  have  ready  access  to  his  presence, 


ROMANS  5:  1—11.  105 

a  sense  of  his  present  favour  and  assurance  of  future  glory,  v.  2.  The 
third,  that  our  afflictions,  instead  of  being  inconsistent  with  the  divint 
favour,  are  made  directly  conducive  to  the  confirmation  of  our  hope ;  tht 
Holy  Spirit  bearing  witness  to  the  fact  that  we  are  the  objects  of  the 
love  of  God,  vs.  3 — 5.  The  fourth,  the  certainty  of  the  final  salvation 
of  all  believers.  This  is  argued  from  the  freeness  and  greatness  of  the 
divine  love.  Its  freeness  being  manifested  in  its  excercise  towards  the 
unworthy;  and  its  greatness  in  the  gift  of  the  Son  of  God,  vs.  6 — 10. 
Salvation  is  not  merely  a  future  though  certain  good  ;  it  is  a  present  and 
abundant  joy,  v.  11. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1)  Therefore  being  justified  hy  faith ^  lue  have  peace  with  God,  that 
is,  we  are  reconciled  to  God.  We  are  no  longer  the  objects  of  the  divine 
displeasure,  his  favour  having  been  propitiated  by  the  death  of  his  Son, 
V.  10.  As  a  consequence  of  this  reconciliation,  we  have  conscious  peace 
with  God,  that  is,  we  have  neither  any  longer  the  present  upbraidings  of 
an  unappeased  conscience,  nor  the  dread  of  divine  vengeance.  Both  of 
these  ideas  are  included  in  the  peace  here  spoken  of.  It  is  peculiarly  an 
§vangelical  doctrine,  that  pious  affections  are  the  fruit  of  this  reconcilia- 
tion to  God,  and  not  the  cause  of  it.  Paul  says  this  peace  is  the  result 
of  justification  by  faith.  He  who  relies  on  his  works  for  justification  can 
have  no  peace.  He  can  neither  remove  the  displeasure  of  God,  nor  quiet 
the  apprehension  of  punishment.  Peace  is  not  the  result  of  mere  gratu- 
itous forgiveness,  but  of  justification,  of  a  reconciliation  founded  upon 
atonement.  The  enlightened  conscience  is  never  satisfied  until  it  sees 
that  God  can  be  just  in  justifying  the  ungodly ;  that  sin  has  been  punish- 
ed, the  justice  of  God  satisfied,  his  law  honoured  and  vindicated.  It  is 
when  he  thus  sees  justice  and  mercy  embracing  each  other,  that  the 
believer  has  that  peace  which  passes  all  understanding;  that  sweet  quiet 
of  the  soul  in  which  deep  humility,  in  view  of  personal  unworthiness,  is 
mingled  with  the  warmest  gratitude  to  that  Saviour  by  whose  blood  God's 
justice  has  been  satisfied  and  conscience  appeased.  Hence,  Paul  says 
we  have  this  peace  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  not  through 
ourselves  in  any  way,  neither  by  our  own  merit  nor  our  own  efforts.  It 
is  all  of  grace.  It  is  all  through  Jesus  Christ.  And  this  the  justified 
soul  is  ever  anxious  to  acknowledge. 

(2)  By  luhom  also  we  have  access  hy  faith  into  this  grace  luherein  we 
stand,  &c.  It  would  seem  obvious,  from  the  use  of  the  word  also,  that 
this  verse  expresses  a  distinct  idea  from  the  preceding.  The  most  com- 
mon and  natural  construction  of  this  passage  is  to  connect  the  word 
grace  with  access,  i.  e.  "  access  into  this  grace."  Grace,  then,  or  favour 
expresses  the  same  idea  ^lB peace  with  God,  in  the  preceding  verse;  and 
the  diflference  between  the  two  verses  is  to  be  found  in  the  word  access 
or  introduction.  The  meaning  then  is,  '  We  are  not  only  indebted  to  Jesus 
Christ  for  peace  with  God,  but  also  for  our  introduction  into  this  state 


106  ROMANS  5:  1—11. 

of  favour;'  which  includes,  of  course,  liberty  of  access  to  God.  Where 
in  ive  stand,  i.  e.  which  we  now  possess  or  enjoy.  Or  the  phrase  may 
be  taken  in  a  forensic  sense,  as  in  Ps.  1 :  5.  130  :  3,  'In  which  state  of 
grace  we  stand  acquitted  or  justified.'  The  word  wherein  must  refer  to 
grace,  the  immediate  antecedent,  and  not  to  faith,  the  more  remote  one. 
The  figurative  language  here  used  is  peculiarly  expressive  and  appropri- 
ate. As  those  only  who  were  in  the  favour  of  ancient  monarchs  could 
freely  approach  them,  and  even  such  had  generally  to  be  led  forward  by 
an  'introducer;'  so  Christ,  our  introducer,  secures  access  for  us  into  the 
favour  and  presence  of  God.  We  come  not  of  ourselves,  but,  abashed 
and  humbled,  are  led  along  by  our  kind  mediator. 

And  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.  There  are  two  benefits 
specified  in  this  verse.  *  The  first,  our  present  introduction  into  a  state 
of  favour  and  free  access  to  God  ;  and  the  second,  the  joyful  hope  of  the 
glory  of  God,  that  is,  the  glory  of  which  God  is  the  author.  The  word 
glory  is  often  used  in  reference  to  future  blessedness,  to  show  that  the 
happiness  to  be  enjoyed  hereafter  is  connected  with  the  exaltation  of  all 
our  powers,  and  of  our  sphere  of  activity. 

(3)  And  not  only  so,  hut  we  glory  in  tribulations  also.  Not  only 
have  we  this  introduction  into  the  divine  favour,  and  this  hope  of  future 
glory,  but  we  glory  in  tribulations  also.  Since  our  relation  to  God  is 
changed,  the  relation  of  all  things  to  us  is  changed.  Afflictions,  which 
before  were  the  expressions  of  God's  displeasure,  are  now  the  bene- 
volent and  beneficent  manifestations  of  his  love.  And,  instead  of 
being  inconsistent  with  our  filial  relation  to  him,  they  serve  to  prove 
that  he  regards  and  loves  us  as  his  children ;  Rom.  8 :  18.  Heb.  12 : 
6.  Tribulations,  therefore,  although  for  the  present  they  are  not 
joyous  but  grievous,  become  to  the  believer  matter  of  joy  and  thank- 
fulness. The  way  in  which  afflictions  become  thus  useful,  and  con- 
sequently the  ground  of  rejoicing,  the  apostle  immediately  explains. 
They  give  occasion  for  the  exercise  of  the  Christian  graces,  and  these, 
from  their  nature,  produce  hope,  which  is  sustained  and  authenticated  by 
the  witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Tribulation  worketh  patience.  The 
word  rendered  patience  signifies  also  constancy,  perseverance.  Tribula- 
tion gives  occasion  to  exercise  and  manifest  a  patient  and  persevering 
adherence  to  truth  and  duty  under  trials. 

(4)  And  patience,  experience  ;  and  experience,  hope.  The  word  trans- 
lated experience  means  properly,  1.  Trial  or  experiment.  2  Cor.  8:  2, 
"  Great  trial  of  affliction,"  i.  e.  trial  made  by  affliction.  2.  It  means  the 
result  of  such  trial,  evidence,  experience.  3.  By  another  remove,  that 
luhich  has  been  tested  and  approved.  As  one  or  the  other  of  these  signi- 
fications is  adopted,  the  clause  is  variously  interpreted.  It  may  mean, 
'The  endurance  of  afflictions  leads  to  the  trying  or  testing  of  one's  own 
heart;'  or  'It  occasions  the  experience  of  the  divine  goodness,  or  of  gra- 
ci<>us  exercises;'  or  'It  produces  a  state  of  mind  which  is  the  object  of 
approbation;'  or  'It  produces  evidence,  viz.  of  a  gracious  state.'    This 


ROMANS  5:  1—11.  107 

last  seems  most  consistent  with  Paul's  use  of  the  word  ;  see  2  Cor.  2  :  9, 
"That  I  may  know  the  proof  (evidence)  of  yon;  whether  ye  be  obe- 
dient," &c.;  Phil.  2:  22,  "Ye  know  the  proof  of  him,"  &c.  This 
sense  suits  the  context  also.  '  Tribulation  calls  forth  the  exercise  of  pa- 
tience ;  and  the  exercise  of  this  patience  or  constancy  affords  evidence 
of  our  being  in  the  favour  of  God,  and  therefore  produces  hope.' 

(5)  And  hope  maketh  not  ashamed.  The  hope  which  true  believers 
entertain,  founded  on  the  very  nature  of  pious  exercises,  shall  never  dis- 
appoint them,  Ps.  22  :  5.  The  ground  of  this  assurance,  however,  is  not 
tiie  strength  of  our  purpose,  or  confidence  in  our  own  goodness,  but  the 
love  of  God.  The  latter  clause  of  the  verse  assigns  the  reason  why  the 
Christian's  hope  shall  not  be  found  delusive ;  it  is  because  the  love  of 
God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts,  hy  the  Holy  Ghost  given  unto  us. 
*  The  love  of  God'  is  his  love  to  us,  and  not  ours  to  him,  as  appears  from 
the  following  verses,  in  which  the  apostle  illustrates  the  greatness  and 
freeness  of  this  love  by  a  reference  to  the  unworthiness  of  its  objects. 
To  shed  abroad  is  to  communicate  abundantly,  and  hence  to  evince 
clearly.  Acts  2  :  17.  10 :  45.  Tit.  3  :  6.  This  manifestation  of  divine 
love  is  not  any  external  revelation  of  it  in  the  works  of  providence,  or 
even  in  redemption,  but  it  is  in  our  hearts.  And  this  inward  persuasion 
that  we  are  the  objects  of  the  love  of  God  is  not  the  mere  result  of  the 
examination  of  evidence,  nor  is  it  a  vain  illusion,  but  it  is  produced  by 
the  Holy  Ghost.  "  The  Spirit  itself  beareth  witness  with  our  spirits  that 
we  are  the  children  of  God,"  Rom.  8  :  16.  2  Cor.  1  :  21,  22.  Eph.  1 :  14. 
As,  however,  the  Spirit  never  contradicts  himself,  he  never  bears  wit- 
ness that  "the  children  of  the  devil"  are  the  children  of  God ;  that  is, 
that  the  unholy,  the  disobedient,  the  proud,  or  malicious,  are  the  objects 
of  the  divine  favour.  Any  reference,  therefore,  by  the  immoral,  to  the 
witness  of  the  Spirit  in  their  favour  must  be  vain  and  delusive. 

(6)  For  luhen  ive  ivere  yet  without  strength,  in  due  time  Christ  died 
for  the  ungodly.  This  and  the  following  verses  to  the  11th  contain  an 
illustration  of  the  freeness  and  greatness  of  the  love  of  God,  designed  to 
prove  the  certainty  of  the  salvation  of  believers.  The  for  either  con- 
nects this  verse  with  the  close  of  the  fifth,  as  introducing  the  illustra- 
tion of  the  love  there  spoken  of;  or  the  logical  connexion  is  with  the 
declaration  of  the  2d,  "we  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God  ;"  and  of 
the  5th,  "hope  maketh  not  ashamed."  This  latter,  from  the  context  of 
the  passage,  seems  the  more  natural.  When  we  luere  without  strength^ 
or  weak.  The  word  thus  translated  may  mean  destitute  of  resources  or 
miserable;  see  Prov.  22:  22.  31  :  5,  9,  where  the  Greek  word  used  by 
Paul  is  used  in  this  sense  by  the  LXX.  Or  it  may  mean  morally  weak, 
i.  e.  wicked.  In  favour  of  this  latter  interpretation  is  the  context.  The 
weak  are  the  ungodly  of  this  verse,  and  the  sinners  of  verse  8.  It  is 
probable  both  ideas  were  in  the  apostle's  mind,  and  that  he  intended  to 
express,  by  the  word,  the  weakness  and  misery  consequent  on  sin,  or 
our  helplessness  as  sinners.     In  due  time,  i.  e.  at  the  appointed  and 


108  ROMANS  5:   1— 11. 

appropriate  time  ;  see  Job  5 :  26.  Isa.  60  :  22.  Mark  1:15.  Gal.  4  :  4. 
Christ  died  for  the  ungodly.  The  preposition  rendered  for,  in  such 
connexions,  signifies  not  merely  for  the  benefit  of  but  in  the  place  of. 
This  appears  to  be  its  meaning  in  v.  7,  which  fixes  its  meaning  here; 
compare  Matt.  20:  28,  "To  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many."  with 
1  Tim.  2:  6,  "Who  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all."  Christ  died  not 
merely/or  us,  but  in  our  place;  his  suffering  being  substituted  for  ours. 
This  gift  of  the  Son  of  God,  to  die  for  the  ungodly,  is  the  highest 
conceivable  proof  of  his  love. 

(7)  For  scarcely  for  a  righteous  man  will  one  die,  yet  peradveniure 
for  a  good  man  some  would  even  dare  to  die.  The  greatness  and  free- 
ness  of  the  love  of  God  is  illustrated  in  this  and  the  following  verse,  by 
making  still  more  prominent  the  unworthiness  of  its  objects.  '  It  is 
hardly  to  be  expected  that  any  one  would  die  in  the  place  of  a  merely 
righteous  man,  though  for  a  good  man  this  self-denial  might  possibly  be 
exercised.  But  we,  so  far  from  being  good,  were  not  even  righteous; 
we  were  sinners,  ungodly,  and  enemies.'  The  difference  between  the 
words  righteous ^nd  good,  as  here  used,  is  that  which,  in  common  usage, 
is  made  between  just  and  kind.  The  former  is  applied  to  a  man  who 
does  all  that  the  law  or  justice  can  demand  of  him,  the  latter  to  him  who 
is  governed  by  love.  The  just  man  commands  respect;  the  good  man 
calls  forth  affection.  Respect  being  a  cold  and  feeble  principle,  com- 
pared to  love,  the  sacrifices  to  which  it  leads  are  comparatively  slight. 

(8)  But  God  commendeth  his  love  towards  us,  in  that,  while  we  were 
yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us.  '  Commendeth,'  i.  e.  renders  conspicu- 
ous ;  see  3  :  5.  What  renders  the  love  of  God  so  peculiarly  conspicuous 
is  his  sending  his  Son  to  die,  not  for  the  good,  nor  even  for  the  righteous, 
but  for  sinners,  for  those  who  were  deserving  of  wrath  instead  of  love. 
The  word  sinners  expresses  the  idea  of  moral  turpitude,  and  consequent 
exposure  to  the  divine  displeasure.  It  was  for  or  in  the  place  of  those 
who  were  at  once  corrupt,  and  the  enemies  of  God,  that  Christ  died. 

(9)  Much  more,  then,  being  now  justified  by  his  blood,  we  shall  be 
saved  from  ivrath  through  him.  This  and  the  following  verse  draw  the 
obvious  inference  from  the  freeness  and  greatness  of  the  love  of  God,  as 
just  exhibited,  that  believers  shall  be  ultimately  saved.  It  is  an  argu- 
ment a  fortiori.  If  the  greater  benefit  has  been  bestowed,  the  less  will 
not  be  withheld.  If  Christ  has  died  for  his  enemies,  he  will  surely  save 
his  friends.  Being  justified.  To  be  justified  is  more  than  to  be  par- 
doned; it  includes  the  idea  of  reconciliation  or  restoration  to  the  favour 
of  God,  and  the  participation  of  the  consequent  blessings.  This  idea 
is  prominently  presented  in  the  following  verse.  We  are  justified  by  his 
blood.  This  expression,  as  remarked  above  (ch.  4 :  3);  exhibits  the  true 
ground  of  our  acceptance  with  God.  It  is  not  our  works,  nor  our  faith, 
nor  our  new  obedience,  nor  ihe  work  of  Christ  in  us,  but  what  he  has 
done  for  us ;  ch.  3  :  25.  Eph.  2 :  13.  Heb.  9  :  12.  Having  by  the  death 
of  Christ  been  brought  into  the  relation  of  peace  with  God,  being  now 


ROMANS  5:  1—11.  109 

regarded  for  his  sake  as  righteous,  we  shall  be  saved  from  wrath  through 
him.  He  will  not  leave  his  work  unfinished  ;  whom  he  justifies  them 
he  also  glorifies.  The  word  wrath,  of  course,  means  the  effects  of  wrath 
or  punishment,  those  sufferings  with  which  the  divine  displeasure  visits 
sin  ;  Matt.  3  :  7.  1  Thess.  1  :  10.  Rom.  1 :  18.  Not  only  is  our  justifi- 
cation to  be  ascribed  to  Christ,  but  our  salvation  is  through  him.  Salva- 
tion, in  a  general  sense,  includes  justification,  but  when  distinguished 
from  it,  as  in  this  case,  it  means  the  consummation  of  that  work  of  which 
justification  is  the  commencement.  It  is  a  preservation  from  all  the 
causes  of  destruction ;  a  deliverance  from  the  evils  which  surround  us 
here,  or  threaten  us  hereafter ;  and  an  introduction  into  the  blessedness  of 
heaven.  Christ  thus  saves  us  by  his  providence  and  Spirit,  and  by  his 
constant  intercession,  ch.  8  :  34.  Heb.  4:  14,  15.  7:  25.  Jude  v.  24.  1 
John  2:  1. 

(10)  For  if  when  ive  were  yet  enemies,  we  were  reconciled  unto 
God  hy  the  death  of  his  Son,  &c.  This  verse  contains  nearly  the  same 
idea  as  v.  9,  presented  in  a  different  form.  The  word  enemies  is  applied 
to  men  not  only  as  descriptive  of  their  moral  character,  but  also  of  the 
relation  in  which  they  stand  to  God,  as  the  objects  of  his  displeasure. 
There  is  not  only  a  wicked  opposition  of  the  sinner  to  God,  but  a  holy 
opposition  of  God  to  the  sinner.  The  preceding  verse  presents  the  former 
of  these  ideas,  and  this  verse  the  latter  most  prominently.  There  it  is 
said,  though  sinners,  we  are  justified  ;  and  here,  though  enemies,  we  are 
reconciled.  And  this  is  the  principal  difference  between  the  two  verses. 
To  be  reconciled  to  God,  in  such  connexions,  does  not  mean  to  have  our 
enmity  to  God  removed,  but  his  enmity  to  us  taken  out  of  the  way ;  to 
have  him  rendered  propitious,  or  his  righteous  justice  satisfied.  This  is 
evident,  1.  Because  the  reconciliation  is  ascribed  to  the  death  of  Christ 
or  his  blood,  v.  9.  But,  according  to  the  constant  representations  of 
Scripture,  the  death  of  Christ  is  a  sacrifice  to  satisfy  divine  justice,  or  to 
propitiate  the  favour  of  God,  and  not  immediately  a  means  of  sanctifica- 
tion.  The  former  is  its  direct  object :  the  latter  an  incidental  result. 
This  is  the  very  idea  of  a  sacrifice.  2.  The  object  of  the  verse  is  to  pre- 
sent us  as  enemies,  or  the  objects  of  God's  displeasure.  *  If  while  wo 
were  the  objects  of  the  divine  displeasure,'  says  the  apostle,  'that  dis 
pleasure  has  been  removed,  or  God  propitiated  by  the  death  of  his  Son, 
how  much  more  shall  we  be  saved,'  &c.  That  is,  if  God  has  been  recon 
ciled  to  us,  he  will  save  us.  3.  This  is  the  proper  meaning  of  the  word, 
2  Cor.  5  :  18,  19.  See  also  Matt.  5  :  24,  "  First  go  and  be  reconciled  to 
thy  brother,"  i.  e.  go  and  appease  his  anger,  or  remove  the  ground  of  his 
displeasure ;  compare  Heb.  2  :  17,  "  He  is  a  priest  to  make  reconciliation 
for  the  sins  of  the  people."  It  is  the  appropriate  business  of  a  priest  ta 
propitiate  God,  and  not  to  reform  men.  See  also  1  Sam.  29  :  4,  "  Wherci 
with  should  he  reconcile  himself  to  his  master?  should  it  not  be  with  the 
heads  of  these  men  ?"  Eph.  2  :  16,  "  That  he  might  reconcile  both  unto 
God  by  the  cross,"  not  remove  their  enmity  to  God,  but  secure  for  them 

K 


no  ROMANS  5:  1—11. 

his  favour  and  access  to  the  Father,  v.  18.  4.  The  context  obviously 
requires  this  sense  here.  "Being  reconciled  by  the  death  of  his  Son," 
evidently  corresponds  to  the  phrase  "  Being  justified  by  his  blood;"  the 
latter  cannot  mean  that  our  feelings  towards  God  are  changed,  but  is  ad- 
mitted to  express  the  idea  that  we  are  forgiven  and  restored  to  the  divine 
favour.  Such,  therefore,  must  be  the  meaning  of  the  former.  Besides, 
it  is  the  object  of  the  apostle  to  illustrate  the  greatness  and  freeness  of 
the  love  of  God  from  the  unworthiness  of  its  objects.  While  sinners, 
we  are  justified;  while  enemies,  we  are  reconciled.  To  make  the  pas- 
sage mean,  that  when  enemies,  we  laid  aside  our  enmity  and  became  the 
friends  of  God,  would  be  to  make  it  contradict  the  very  assertion  and 
design  of  the  apostle. 

We  shall  be  saved  hy  his  life.  This  rather  unusual  mode  of  expression 
was  doubtless  adopted  for  the  sake  of  its  correspondence  to  the  words  by 
his  death  in  the  preceding  clause;  and  is  a  striking  example  of  Paul's 
fondness  for  such  antithetical  constructions  ;  see  ch.  4  :  25.  Gal.  3  :  3. 
2  Cor.  3  ;  6.  The  meaning  is  obvious.  'If  while  we  were  enemies,  we 
were  restored  to  the  favour  of  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son ;  the  fact  that 
he  lives  will  certainly  secure  our  final  salvation.'  1.  His  life  is  a  pledge 
and  security  for  the  life  of  all  his  people ;  see  .Tohn  14  :  19,  "  Because  I 
live,  ye  shall  live  also  ;"  Rom.  8:11.  1  Cor.  15:  23.  2.  He  is  able  to 
save  to  the  uttermost,  "  because  he  ever  lives  to  make  intercession  for 
us ;"  Heb.  7  :  25,  &c.  &c.  3.  At  his  resurrection  all  power  in  heaven 
and  earth  was  committed  to  his  hands,  Matt.  28  :  18  ;  and  this  power  he 
exercises  for  the  salvation  of  his  people  ;  Eph.  1  :  22,  *  He  is  head  over 
all  things  for  the  benefit  of  his  church  ;'  Rev.  1 :  18.  Heb.  2  :  9.  1  Cor. 
15  :  25,  &c.  &c. ;  see  also  the  passages  cited  on  the  last  clause  of  v.  9. 
There  is,  therefore  most  abundant  ground  for  confidence  for  the  final 
blessedness  of  believers,  not  only  in  the  amazing  love  of  God  by  which, 
though  sinners  and  enemies,  they  have  been  justified  and  reconciled  by 
the  death  of  his  Son,  but  also  in  the  consideration  that  this  same  Saviour 
that  died  for  them  still  lives,  and  ever  lives  to  sanctify,  protect,  and  save 
them. 

(11)  Not  only  so,  but  we  also  joy  in  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christy 
&c.  That  is,  '  Not  only  are  we  secure  of  future  salvation,  but  we  now 
rejoice  in  God  as  our  reconciled  Father  and  portion.'  This  includes  all 
other  good.  If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  usT  If  we  have  the 
infinite  fountain  of  blessedness,  it  matters  little  what  streams  may  fail. 
Through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Paul  never  forgets  to  acknowledge  that 
all  the  blessings  of  redemption  are  through  Jesus  Christ;  not  only  recon- 
ciliation and  salvation,  but  present  joyful  intercourse  with  God,  Heb. 
4:  16. 

By  whom  we  have  now  received  the  atonement,  or  reconciliation,  as  the 
Greek  word  here  used  is  always  elsewhere  rendered,  Rom.  11:  15. 
2  Cor.  5:  18,  19,  and  in  which  sense  our  translators  probably  used  the 
word  atonement.     To  recei'''e  reconciliation  and  to  be  reconciled,  are,  of 


ROMANS  5:  1—11.  HI 

course,  synonymous  expressions.  This  clause,  therefore,  is  but  a  repeti 
tion  of  verse  10,  '  We  rejoice  in  God  through  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom, 
i.  e.  by  whose  death,  we  have  been  restored  to  the  divine  favour.'  Paul 
says  we  have  tioiw  received  reconciliation;  because  reconciliation  is  a 
present  good,  and  pledge' of  future  blessedness.  '*  If  children,  then 
heirs,"  Rom.  8  :  17. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  Peace  with  God  is  the  result  of  that  system  of  religion  alone, 
which,  by  providing  at  once  for  the  satisfaction  of  divine  justice  and  the 
sanctification  of  the  human  heart,  is  suited  to  the  character  of  God  and 
the  nature  of  man.  All  history  shows  that  no  system  other  than  the 
gospel  has  ever  produced  this  peace,  v.  1. 

2.  All  the  peculiar  blessings  of  redemption  are  inseparably  connected 
and  grow  out  of  each  other.  Those  who  are  justified  have  peace  with 
God,  access  to  his  presence,  joy  under  the  most  adverse  circumstances, 
assurance  of  God's  love,  and  certainty  of  final  salvation ;  see  the  whole 
section,  and  compare  ch.  8  :  30. 

3.  The  Holy  Ghost  has  intimate  access  to  the  human  soul,  controlling 
its  exercises,  exciting  its  emotions,  and  leading  it  into  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth,  v.  5. 

4.  The  assurance  of  hope  is  founded  on  the  consciousness  of  pious 
affections,  and  the  witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  and  is  a  grace  to  which 
believers  may  and  ought  to  attain,  vs.  4,  5. 

5.  The  perseverance  of  the  saints  is  to  be  attributed  not  to  the  strength 
of  their  love  to  God,  nor  to  any  thing  else  in  themselves,  but  solely  to  the 
free  and  infinite  love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus.  The  praise  is,  therefore, 
no  more  due  to  them,  than  commendation  to  a  helpless  infant  for  its 
mother's  sleepless  care.  "  Can  a  woman  forget  her  sucking  child,"  &c. 
vs.  6—10. 

6.  Redemption  is  not  by  truth  or  moral  influence,  but  by  blood,  vs. 
9,  10. 

7.  The  primary  object  of  the  death  of  Christ  was  to  render  God  propi 
tious,  to  satisfy  his  justice  ;  and  not  to  influence  human  conduct,  or  dis- 
play the  divine  character  for  the  sake  of  the  moral  eflfect  of  that  exhibi- 
tion. Among  its  infinitely  diversified  results,  all  of  which  were  designed, 
some  of  the  most  important,  no  doubt,  are  the  sanctification  of  men,  the 
display  of  the  divine  perfections,  the  prevention  of  sin,  the  happiness  of 
the  universe,  &c.  &c.  But  the  object  of  a  sacrifice,  as  such,  is  to  propi- 
tiate, vs.  9,  10.  Heb.  2  :  17. 

8.  All  we  have  or  hope  for,  we  owe  to  Jesus  Christ;  peace,  commu- 
nion with  God,  joy,  hope,  eternal  life;  see  the  whole  section,  and  the 
whole  Bible. 

REMARKS. 

1.  If  we  are  the  genuine  children  of  God,  we  have  peace  of  conscience, 
a  sense  of  God's  favour,  and  freedom  of  access  to  his  throne.    We  endure 


112  ROMANS  3:  12—21. 

afflictions  with  patience.  Instead  of  making  us  distrustful  of  our  heavenly 
Father,  they  afford  us  new  proofs  of  his  love,  and  strengthen  our  hope  of 
his  mercy.  And  we  shall  have  also,  more  or  less  of  the  assurance  of 
God's  love  by  the  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  vs.  1 — 5. 

2.  None  of  these  fruits  of  reconciliation  with  God  can  be  obtained 
until  the  spirit  of  self-righteousness  and  self-dependence  is  removed. 
They  are  secured  through  faith,  and  by  Christ  Jesus,  and  not  by  our  own 
works  or  merit,  v.  1,  &c. 

3.  The  hope  of  the  hypocrite  is  like  a  spider's  web;  the  hope  of  the 
believer  is  an  anchor  to  his  soul,  sure  and  steadfast,  v.  5. 

4.  Assurance  of  the  love  of  God  never  produces  self-complacency  or 
pride;  but  always  humility,  self-abasement,  wonder,  gratitude  and 
praise.  The  believer  sees  that  the  mysterious  fountain  of  this  love  is  in 
the  divine  mind  ;  it  is  not  in  himself  who  is  ungodly  and  a  sinner,  vs. 
8—10. 

5.  As  the  love  of  God  in  the  gift  of  his  Son,  and  the  love  of  Christ  in 
dying  for  us,  are  the  peculiar  characteristics  of  the  gospel,  no  one  can  be 
a  true  Christian,  on  whom  these  truths  do  not  exert  a  governing  influence, 
vs.  9  ;  10 ;  compare  2  Cor.  5  :  14. 

6.  True  religion  is  joyful,  vs.  2,  11. 

CHAP.  5:  12—21. 

^^Wherefore,  as  by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by 
sin  ;  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned :  *^(for 
until  the  law  sin  was  in  the  world  :  but  sin  is  not  imputed  when  there  is 
no  law.  ^^Nevertheless  death  reigned  from  Adam  to  Moses,  even  over 
them  that  had  not  sinned  after  the  similitude  of  Adam's  transgression, 
who  is  the  figure  of  him  that  was  to  come.  ^^But  not  as  the  offence,  so 
also  is  the  free  gift.  For  if  through  the  offencfe  of  one  many  be  dead, 
much  more  the  grace  of  God,  and  the  gift  by  grace,  which  is  by  one  man, 
Jesus  Christ,  hath  abounded  unto  many,  ^^^nd  not  as  it  was  by  one 
that  sinned,  so  is  the  gift:  for  the  judgment  washy  one  to  condemna- 
tion, but  the  free  gift  is  of  many  offences  unto  justification.  ^''For  if  by 
one  man's  offence  death  reigned  by  one ;  much  more  they  which  receive 
abundance  of  grace  and  of  the  gift  of  righteousness  shall  reign  in  life  by 
one,  Jesus  Christ.)  i^Therefore  as  by  the  offence  of  one  judgment  came 
upon  all  men  to  condemnation ;  even  so  by  the  righteousness  of  one  the 
free  gift  came  upon  all  men  unto  justification  of  life.  ^^For  as  by  one 
man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sinners,  so  by  the  obedience  of  one 
shall  many  be  made  righteous.  ^"Moreover  the  law  entered,  that  the 
offence  might  abound.  But  where  sin  abounded,  grace  did  much 
more  abound :  ^HhTit  as  sin  hath  reigned  unto  death,  even  so  might 
grace  reign  through  righteousness  unto  eternal  life  by  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord. 


ROMANS  5:  12—21.  113 

ANALYSIS. 

1.  Scope  of  the  passage.  The  design  of  this  section  is  the  illustration 
of  the  doctrine  of  the  justification  of  sinners  en  the  ground  of  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ,  by  a  reference  to  the  condemnation  of  men  for  the 
sin  of  Adam.  That  such  is  its  design,  is  evident,  1.  From  the  context. 
Paul  has  been  engaged  from  the  beginning  of  the  epistle  in  inculcating 
one  main  idea,  viz.  that  the  ground  of  the  sinner's  acceptance  with  God 
is  not  in  himself,  but  the  merit  of  Christ.  And  in  the  preceding  verses 
he  had  said,  "  we  are  justified  by  his  blood,"  v.  9 ;  by  his  death  we  are 
restored  to  the  divine  favour,  v.  10;  and  through  him,  i.  e.  by  one  man, 
we  have  received  reconciliation,  that  is,  are  pardoned  and  justified,  v.  11. 
As  this  idea  of  men's  being  regarded  and  treated  not  according  to  their 
own  merit,  but  the  merit  of  another,  is  contrary  to  the  common  mode  of 
thinking  among  men,  and,  especially,  contrary  to  their  self-righteous 
efforts  to  obtain  the  divine  favour,  the  apostle  illustrates  and  enforces  it 
by  an  appeal  to  the  great  analogous  fact  in  the  history  of  the  world. 
2.  From  an  inspection  of  vs.  12,  13,  19,  which  contain  the  whole  point 
and  substance  of  the  comparison.  The  verses  13 — 17  are  virtually  a 
parenthesis;  and  verses  20,  21,  contain  two  remarks,  merely  incidental 
to  the  discussion.  The  verses  12,  18,  19,  must,  therefore,  contain  the 
main  idea  of  the  passage.  In  the  12th,  only  one  side  of  the  comparison 
is  stated  ;  but  in  vs.  13,  19,  it  is  resumed  and  carried  out.  '  As  by  the 
offence  of  one  all  are  condemned,  so  by  the  righteousness  of  one  all  are 
justified.'  This,  almost  in  the  words  of  the  apostle,  is  the  simple  mean- 
ing of  vs.  18,  19,  and  makes  the  point  of  the  comparison  and  scope  of 
the  passage  peculiarly  clear.  3.  The  design  of  the  passage  must  be 
that  on  which  all  its  parts  bear,  the  point  towards  which  they  all  con- 
verge. The  course  of  the  argument,  as  w-ill  appear  in  the  sequel,  bears 
so  uniformly  and  lucidly  on  the  point  just  stated,  that  the  attempt  to  make 
it  bear  on  any  other  involves  the  whole  passage  in  confusion.  All  that 
the  apostle  says  tends  to  the  illustration  of  his  declaration,  '  as  we  are 
condemned  on  account  of  what  Adam  did,  we  are  justified  on  account  of 
what  Christ  did.'  The  illustration  of  this  point,  therefore,  must  be  the 
design  and  scope  of  the  whole. 

2.  The  connexion.  The  design  of  the  passage  being  the  illustration  of 
the  doctrine  of  justification  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  previously 
established  ;  the  connexion  is  natural  and  obvious.  '  Wherefore  as  by 
one  man  we  have  been  brought  under  condemnation,  so  by  one  man  we 
are  brought  into  a  state  of  justification  and  life.'  The  wherefore 
is  consequently  to  be  taken  as  illative,  or  marking  an  inference  from 
the  whole  of  the  previous  part  of  the  epistle,  and  especially  from  the  pre- 
ceding verses.  '  Wherefore  we  are  justified  by  the  righteousness  of  one 
man;  even  as  we  were  brought  into  condemnation  by  the  sin  of  one 
man.' 

3.  The  course  of  the  argument.  As  the  point  to  be  illustrated  is  the  justi- 
fication of  sinners  on  the  ground  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  and  the 

k2 


114  ROMANS  5:   12—31. 

source  of  illustration  is  the  fall  of  all  men  in  Adam,  the  passage  begins 
with  a  statement  of  this  latter  truth.  '  As  on  account  of  one  man,  death 
has  passed  on  all  men  ;  so  on  account  of  one,'  &c.  v.  12. 

Before,  however,  carrying-  out  the  comparison,  the  apostle  stops  to 
establish  his  position,  that  all  men  are  regarded  and  treated  as  sinners  on 
account  of  Adam.  His  proof  is  this.  The  infliction  of  a  penalty  implies 
the  transgression  of  a  law ;  since  sin  is  not  imputed  where  there  is  no  law, 
V.  13. 

All  mankind  are  subject  to  death  or  penal  evils  ;  therefore  all  men  are 
regarded  as  transgressors  of  a  law,  v.  13. 

This  law  or  covenant,  which  brings  death  on  all  men,  is  not  the  law 
of  Moses,  because  multitudes  died  before  that  was  given,  v.  14. 

Nor  is  it  the  law  of  nature  written  upon  the  heart,  since  multitudes  die 
who  have  never  violated  even  that  law,  v.  14. 

Therefore,  as  neither  of  these  laws  is  sufficiently  extensive  to  embrace 
all  the  subjects  of  the  penalty,  we  must  conclude  that  men  are  subject  to 
death  on  account  of  Adam ;  that  is,  it  is  for  the  offence  of  one  that  many 
die,  vs.  13,  14. 

Adam  is,  therefore,  a  type  of  Christ.  As  to  this  important  point,  there 
is  a  striking  analogy  between  the  fall  and  redemption.  We  are  con- 
demned in  Adam,  and  we  are  justified  in  Christ.  But  the  cases  are  not 
completely  parallel.  In  the  first  place,  the  former  dispensation  is  much 
more  mysterious  than  the  latter ;  for  if  by  the  offence  of  one  many  die, 
MUCH  MORE  by  the  righteousness  of  one  shall  many  live,  v.  15. 

In  the  second  place,  the  benefits  of  the  one  dispensation  far  exceed  the 
evils  of  the  other.  For  the  condemnation  was  for  one  offence  ;  the  justi- 
fication is  from  many.  Christ  saves  us  from  much  more  than  the  guilt 
of  Adam's  sin,  v.  16. 

In  the  third  place,  Christ  not  only  saves  us  from  death,  that  is,  not 
only  frees  us  from  the  evils  consequent  on  our  own  and  Adam's  sin,  but 
introduces  us  into  a  state  of  positive  and  eternal  blessedness,  v.  17.  Or 
this  verse  may  be  considered  as  an  amplification  of  the  sentiment  of 
V.  15. 

Having  thus  limited  and  illustrated  the  analogy  between  Adam  and 
Christ,  the  apostle  resumes  and  carries  the  comparison  fully  out.  *  There- 
fore, as  on  account  of  one  man  all  men  are  condemned  ;  so  on  account 
of  one  all  are  justified,  v.  18.  For  as  through  the  disobedience  of  one 
many  are  regarded  and  treated  as  sinners ;  so  through  the  righteousness 
of  one  many  are  regarded  and  treated  as  righteous,'  v.  19.  This,  then, 
is  the  sense  of  the  passage,  men  are  condemned  for  the  sin  of  one  man, 
and  justified  for  the  righteousness  of  another. 

If  men  are  thus  justified  by  the  obedience  of  Christ,  for  what  purpose 
is  the  law"?  It  entered  that  sin  might  abound,  i.  e.  that  men  might  see 
how  much  it  abounded  ;  since  by  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin.  The 
law  has  its  use,  although  men  are  not  justified  by  their  own  obedience  to 
it,  v.  20. 


ROMANS  5:  12—21.  115 

As  the  law  discloses,  and  even  aggravates  the  dreadful  triumphs  of 
sin  reigning,  in  union  with  death,  over  the  human  family,  the  gospel  dis- 
plays the  far  more  effectual  and  extensive  triumphs  of  grace  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  v.  21. 

According  to  this  view  of  the  passage,  it  consists  of  five  parts. 

The  first,  contained  in  v.  12,  presents  the  first  member  of  the  compari- 
son between  Christ  and  Adam. 

The  second  contains  the  proof  of  the  position  assumed  in  the  12th 
verse,  and  embraces  vs.  13,  14,  which  are  therefore  subordinate  to  v.  12. 
Adam^  therefore^  is  a  type  of  Christ, 

The  third,  embracing  vs.  15,  16,  17,  is  a  commentary  on  this  declara- 
tion, by  which  it  is  at  once  illustrated  and  limited. 

The  fourth,  in  vs.  18,  19,  resumes  and  carries  out  the  comparison  com- 
menced in  V.  12. 

The  fifth  forms  the  conclusion  of  the  chapter,  and  contains  a  statement 
of  the  design  and  effect  of  the  law,  and  of  the  results  of  the  gospel  sug- 
gested by  the  preceding  comparison,  vs.  20,  21. 

COMMENTARY. 

(12)  Wherefore,  as  hy  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  tuorld,  and  death 
hy  sin,  &c.  The  force  of  wherefore  has  already  been  pointed  out,  when 
speaking  of  the  connexion  of  this  passage  with  the  preceding.  '  It  fol- 
lows from  what  had  been  said  of  the  method  of  justification,  that  as  by 
one  man,'  &c.  It  indicates  the  point  towards  which  the  whole  discus- 
sion, from  the  commencement  of  the  epistle,  tends,  and  the  grand  conclu- 
sion from  all  the  apostle's  reasoning.  As  hy  one  man.  The  word  as 
obviously  indicates  a  comparison  between  the  case  of  Adam  and  some- 
thing else.  Since,  however,  the  other  part  of  the  comparison  is  not  im- 
mediately stated,  various  explanations  of  this  verse  have  been  proposed. 
It  is,  however,  so  obvious,  that  the  comparison  here  commenced  is 
resumed  and  stated  in  full,  in  vs.  18,  19,  that  the  great  body  of  com- 
mentators consider  the  verses  13 — 17  as  a  parenthesis,  designed  for  the 
confirmation  and  illustration  of  the  statement  in  v.  12.  Thus,  too,  the 
passage  is  pointed  in  our  common  English  version. 

By  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  i.  e.  one  man  was  the  cause  of 
all  men's  becoming  sinners.  To  make  these  words  mean  nothing  more 
than  that  sin  commenced  with  Adam,  that  he  was  the  first  sinner,  is  ob- 
viously inconsistent  with  the  force  of  the  words  by  one  man,  and  with 
the  whole  context  and  design  of  the  passage.  See  the  exj)ressions 
"  through  the  offence  of  one,"  v.  15  ;  "  the  judgment  was  by  one,"  v.  16  ; 
"  by  one  man's  offence,"  v.  17  ;  "  by  the  offence  of  one  judgment  came," 
V.  18;  "by  one  man's  disobedience,"  v.  19.  These  expressions,  so 
clearly  parallel  with  the  declaration  "  By  one  man  sin  entered  into  the 
world,"  make  it  too  plain  to  admit  of  doubt  that  the  clause  before  us  ex- 
presses the  idea  that  Adam  was  the  cause  of  all  men's  becoming  sinners, 
and  not  merely  that  sin  began  with  him,  or  that  he  was  the  first  sinner. 


116  ROMANS  5:  12—21. 

This  is  rendered,  if  possible,  still  more  obvious  by  the  constant  contrast 
or  comparison,  through  the  whole  passage,  of  Adam  and  Christ;  by  one 
man  came  sin ;  by  one  man  came  righteousness ;  by  the  offence  of  one 
came  death  ;  63/ the  righteousness  of  the  other  came  life  ;  &c.&c.  That 
Adam  was  the  cause  of  sin  and  death  is,  therefore,  as  clearly  expressed 
as  that  Christ  is  the  cause  of  righteousness  and  life.  The  words  sin  eri' 
tered  into  the  world  have  been  variously  explained.  1.  Many  of  the 
older  and  also  of  the  more  modern  commentators  understand  sin  here  to 
mean  corruption.  This  clause  would  then  mean,  '  By  one  man  all  men 
became  corrupt.'  2.  Others  take  the  word  sin  in  its  ordinary  sense,  and 
understanding  the  passage  as  teaching  either  that  Adam  was  the  cause  or 
occasion  of  all  men  committing  sin,  or  that  sin  commenced  with  him ; 
he  was  the  first  sinner.  3.  Others  again  understand  the  declaration  that 
through  Adam  sin  entered  into  the  world  (i.  e.  that  through  him  all  men 
became  sinners),  to  mean  that  on  his  account  they  were  regarded  and 
treated  as  sinners. 

It  will  hardly  be  denied  that  this  expression  must  be  understood  in 
the  same  way  with  the  obviously  parallel  phrase,  "  by  one  man's  dis- 
obedience many  were  made  sinners,"  in  v.  19,  and  the  corresponding 
ones  in  the  other  portions  of  the  passage.  It  must  also  have  the  same 
meaning  as  the  words  "for  all  have  sinned,"  at  the  close  of  this  verse; 
and  "sin  was  in  the  world,"  i.  e.  men  were  sinners,  in  v.  13.  Which 
of  the  three  interpretations,  just  stated,  is  to  be  preferred  will,  therefore, 
be  most  properly  considered  when  we  come  to  the  last  clause  of  the 
verse.  It  is  probable  that  Paul  meant  to  express,  in  the  first  instance, 
the  general  idea  that  all  men  fell  in  Adam  ;  which  includes  the  idea  both 
of  the  loss  of  holiness,  and  of  subjection  to  the  penal  consequences  of 
sin.  It  will  appear,  however,  in  the  sequel,  that  the  latter  is  altogether 
the  more  prominent  idea;  and,  consequently,  that  the  third  interpreta- 
tion expresses  most  accurately  the  true  meaning  of  the  passage. 

And  death  by  sin,  i.  e.  sin  was  the  cause  of  death.  The  death  here 
spoken  of  is  not  mere  natural  death,  but  the  penalty  of  the  law,  or  the 
evils  threatened  as  the  punishment  of  sin.  This  is  evident,  1.  From 
the  consideration  that  it  is  said  to  be  the  consequence  of  sin.  It  must, 
therefore,  mean  that  death  which  the  Scriptures,  elsewhere,  speak  of  as 
the  consequence  and  punishment  of  transgression.  2.  Because  this  is 
the  common  and  favourite  term  with  the  sacred  writers,  from  first  to  last, 
for  the  penal  consequences  of  sin.  Gen.  2  :  17,  "  In  the  day  thou  eatest 
thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die,"  i.  e.  thou  shalt  become  subject  to  the  pu- 
nishment due  to  sin  ;  Ezek.  18  :  4,  "  The  soul  that  sinneth  it  shall  die ;" 
Rom.  6  :  23,  "  The  wages  of  sin  is  death  ;"  ch.  8  :  13,  "  If  ye  live  after 
the  flesh  ye  shall  die."  Such  passages  are  altogether  too  numerous  to 
be  quoted,  or  even  referred  to;  see,  as  further  examples,  Rom.  1  :  32. 
7:  5.  James  1 :  15.  Rev.  20:  14,  &c.  &c.  3.  From  the  constant  oppo- 
sition between  the  terms  life  and  death  throughout  the  Scriptures;  the 
former  standing  for  the  rewards  of  the  righteous,  the  latter  for  the 


ROMANS  5:  12—21.  117 

punishment  of  the  wicked.  Thus,  in  Gen.  2  :  17,  life  was  promised  to  our 
first  parents  as  the  reward  of  obedience  ;  and  death  threatened  as  the 
punishment  of  disobedience.  See  Deut.  30  :  15,  "I  have  set  before  thee 
life  and  death;"  Jer.  21  :  8.  Prov.  11  :  19.  Ps.  36 :  9.  Matt.  25 :  46. 
John  3:15.  2  Cor.  2:16-,  &c.  &:c.  4.  From  the  opposition  in  this  pas- 
sage between  the  life  which  is  by  Christ,  and  the  death  which  is  by- 
Adam,  vs.  15,  17,  21,  '  Sin  reigns  unto  death,  grace  reigns  through  right- 
eousness unto  eternal  life.'  As,  however,  natural  death  is  a  part,  and 
the  most  obvious  part,  of  the  penal  evils  of  sin,  it  no  doubt  was  promi- 
nent in  the  apostle's  mind,  as  appears  from  vs.  13,  14.  Death,  therefore, 
in  this  passage,  means  the  evil,  and  any  evil  which  is  inflicted  in  punisn- 
ment  of  sin.  The  amount  of  this  evil  is  different,  no  doubt,  in  every 
different  case  of  transgression. 

And  so  death  passed  on  all  men  ,-  that  is,  thus  it  is,  or  so  it  happened  tnat 
death  passed  on  all  men.  As  death  is  the  penalty  of  sin,  and  as  by  one 
man  all  became  sinners,  thus  it  was  by  one  man  that  death  passed  on 
all  men.  The  force  of  the  words  and  so  have  indeed  been  much  disputed. 
Many  understand  them  as  answering  to  the  word  as  at  the  beginning  of* 
the  verse,  *  As  Adam  sinned  and  died,  so  also  do  all  men.'  But  in  the 
first  place  the  words  do  not  admit  of  this  interpretation.  Paul  does  not 
say  so  also,  but  and  so,  thus  it  was.  Besides,  according  to  this  view  of 
the  passage  this  verse  does  not  contain  the  first  part  of  a  comparison 
between  Adam  and  Christ,  but  merely  a  comparison  between  Adam  and 
his  posterity.  It  is  evident,  however,  from  vs.  18, 19,  that  the  comparison 
is  between  Adam  and  Christ.  "In  this  interpretation  the  force  of  the 
words  by  one  man  is  entirely  overlooked.  It  is  bi/  one  man  that  men 
became  sinners  ;  and  thus  it  was  by  one  man  that  death  passed  upon  all 
men. 

For  that  all  have  sinned.  These  words  obviously  assign  the  reason 
why  all  men  are  exposed  to  death.  Instead  of  rendering  the  Greek  words 
£0'  M  for  that,  the  Latin  version,  and  many  of  the  older  commentators  and 
theologians,  Arminians  as  well  as  Calvinists,  translate  them  in  whom, 
*  By  one  man  all  men  became  sinners,  and  hence  death  passed  upon  all 
men,  through  that  one  man,  in  whom  all  sinned.'  This,  no  doubt,  is  the 
true  meaning  of  the  whole  verse.  But  it  is  not  necessary,  in  order  to 
defend  this  interpretation,  to  adopt  the  rendering  in  whom,  against  which 
there  are  strong  philological  objections ;  especially  the  remoteness  of 
the  antecedent.  Our  common  version,  therefore,  is  to  be  preferred.  *  All 
die  for  that,  or  because  that,  all  have  sinned,' 

With  regard  to  these  important  words,  we  meet  with  the  three  interpre- 
tations mentioned  at  the  beginning  of  this  verse.  All  men  have  personally 
and  actually  sinned.  Then  the  sentiment  of  the  verse  is  either,  'As 
Adam  sinned  and  died,  so  in  like  manner  death  has  passed  on  all  men, 
because  all  have  sinned.'  According  to  this  view,  the  connexion  of 
Adam's  sin  with  the  sin  and  death  of  his  posterity  is  not  stated,  though 
it  may  be  intimated  by  the  peculiar  form  of  the  expressions.     Or  the 


118  ROMANS  5:  12—21. 

meaning  is,  « As  Adam  was  the  cause  or  occasion  of  men  becoming 
sinners,  so  death  passed  on  all,  since  all  have,  in  consequence  of  his  obe- 
dience, been  led  into  sin.'  The  objections  to  this  interpretation  will  be 
presented  in  the  sequel,  in  the  form  of  arguments  in  favour  of  another 
view  of  the  passage.  According  to  the  second  interpretation,  the  words 
mean  all  have  become  corrupt.  Then  the  sense  of  the  verse  is,  '  As  by 
Adam,  sin  (corruption  of  nature)  was  introduced  into  the  world,  and 
death  as  its  consequence,  and  so  death  passed  on  all  men,  because  all 
have  become  corrupt ;  even  so,' &c.  The  principal  objections  to  this 
interpretation  are,  1.  It  assigns  a  very  unusual,  if  not  an  unexampled 
sense  to  the  words.  The  word  rendered  have  become  corrupt^  not  occur- 
ring elsewhere  with  this  signification.  2.  It  destroys  the  analogy  between 
Christ  and  Adam.  The  point  of  the  comparison  is  not,  '  As  Adam  was 
the  source  of  corruption,  so  is  Christ  of  holiness;'  but,  '  As  Adam  was 
the  cause  of  our  condemnation,  so  is  Christ  of  our  justification.'  3.  It  is 
inconsistent  with  the  meaning  of  vs.  13,  14,  which  are  designed  to  prove 
that  the  ground  of  the  universality  of  death  is  the  sin  or  offence  of  Adam. 
4.  It  would  require  us,  in  order  to  preserve  any  consistency  in  the  pas- 
sage, to  put  an  interpretation  on  vs.  15,  16,,  17,  18,  19,  which  they  will 
not  bear.  Although  the  sentiment,  therefore,  is  correct  and  scriptural, 
that  we  derive  a  corrupt  nature  from  Adam,  as  it  is  also  true  that  Christ 
is  the  author  of  holiness,  yet  these  are  not  the  truths  which  Paul  is  here 
immediately  desirous  of  presenting. 

The  third  interpretation,  therefore,  according  to  which  the  words  in 
question  mean  all  men  are  regarded  and  treated  as  sinners^  is  to  be  pre- 
ferred. The  verse  then  contains  this  idea,  '  As  by  one  man  all  men 
became  sinners  and  exposed  to  death,  and  thus  death  passed  on  all  men, 
since  all  sinned,  i.  e.  are  regarded  as  sinners  on  his  account,'  even  so 
by  one  man,  &c.  The  arguments  in  support  of  this  interpretation  are  the 
following,  1.  The  word  translated  have  sinned  may  in  strict  accordance 
with  usage  be  rendered  have  become  guilty,  or,  regarded  and  treated  as 
sinners.  Compare  Gen.  44  :  32,  "  I  shall  bear  the  blame  ;"  literally,  '  I 
shall  have  sinned  ;'  see  also  Gen.  43  :  9.  1  Kings  1 :  21.  2.  It  is  almost 
uniformly  admitted  that  v.  12  contains  the  first  member  of  a  comparison 
between  Adam  and  Christ,  which  is  resumed  and  carried  out  in  vs.  18,  19. 
In  these  verses,  however,  tlie  idea  is  clearly  expressed  'that  judgment 
came  on  all  men  on  account  of  the  offence  of  one  man.'  If  these  verses 
express  the  same  idea  with  v.  12,  we  are  forced  to  understand  this  verse 
as  teaching  not  the  acknowledged  truth  that  all  men  are  sinners,  but  that 
all  are  treated  as  sinners  on  account  of  one  man.  3.  This  interpretation 
is  demanded  by  the  connexion  between  v.  12,  and  vs.  13,  14.  These 
latter  verses  beginning  with  for  are  evidently  designed  to  prove  the 
assertion  contained  in  v.  12.  All  men  are  regarded  as  sinners  on  account 
of  the  offence  of  one  man,  is  the  assertion  of  v.  12,  for  there  is  no  other 
way  of  accounting  for  the  universality  of  penal  evils,  is  the- reason  as- 
signed in  vs.  13,  14.    4.  What  v.  12  is  thus  made  to  assert,  and  vs.  13, 


ROMANS  5:  12—21.  119 

14,  to  prove,  is  assurped  as  proved  in  vs.  15,  16,  17,  18,  19.  5.  This 
interpretation  is  required  by  the  scope  of  the  passage  and  the  drift  of  the 
apostle's  argument.  The  scope  of  the  passage  is  to  illustrate  the  doctrine 
of  justification  on  the  ground  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  by  a  refer- 
ence to  the  condemnation  of  men  for  the  sin  of  Adam.  The  analogy  is 
destroyed,  and  the  point  of  the  comparison  fails,  if  any  thing  in  us  be 
assumed  as  the  ground  of  the  infliction  of  the  penal  evils  of  which  the 
apostle  is  here  speaking.  That  we  have  corrupt  natures  and  are  person- 
ally sinners,  and  therefore  liable  to  other  and  further  inflictions  is  indeed 
true,  but  nothing  to  the  point.  Not  only  does  the  scope  of  the  passage 
demand  this  interpretation,  but  also  the  whole  course  of  the  argument. 
We  die  on  account  of  Adam's  sin,  v.  12  ;  this  is  true,  because  on  no  other 
ground  can  the  universality  oi  death  be  accounted  for,  vs.  13,  14.  But  if 
we  all  die  on  Adam's  account,  how  much  more  shall  we  live  on  account 
of  Christ,  V.  15.  Adam  indeed  brings  upon  us  the  evil  inflicted  for  the 
first  great  violation  of  the  covenant,  but  Christ  saves  us  from  -all  our 
numberless  sins,  v.  16.  As  therefore,  for  the  offence  of  one,  we  are 
condemned,  so  for  the  righteousness  of  one  we  are  justified,  v.  18.  As 
on  account  of  the  disobedience  of  one  we  are  treated  as  sinners,  so  on 
account  of  the  obedience  of  one  we  are  treated  as  righteous,  v.   19. 

6.  The  doctrine  which  the  verse  thus  explained  teaches,  is  one  of  the 
plainest  truths  of  all  the  scriptures  and  of  experience.  Is  it  not  a  revealed 
fact,  above  all  contradiction,  and  sustained  by  the  whole  history  of  the 
world,  that  the  sin  of  Adam  altered  the  relation  in  which  our  race  stood 
to  God  ]  Did  not  that  sin  of  itself,  and  independently  of  any  thing  in  us, 
or  done  by  us,  bring  evil  on  the  world  ?  In  other  words,  did  we  not  fall 
when  Adam  fell  1  If  these  questions  are  answered  in  the  afiirmative,  the 
doctrine  contained  in  the  interpretation  of  v.  12,  given  above,  is  admitted. 

7.  The  doctrine  of  the  imputation  of  Adam's  sin,  or,  that  on  account 
of  that  sin,  all  men  are  regarded  and  treated  as  sinners,  was  a  common 
Jewish  doctrine  at  the  time  of  the  apostle,  as  well  as  at  a  later  period. 
He  employs  the  same  mode  of  expression  on  the  subject  which  the  Jews 
were  accustomed  to  use.  They  could  not  have  failed,  therefore,  to  un- 
derstand him  as  meaning  to  convey  by  these  expressions  the  ideas  usually 
connected  with  them. 

(13,  14)  For  until  ike  law  sin  was  in  the  world,  &c.  These  verses  are 
connected  by  for  v/ith  v.  12,  as  introducing  the  proof  of  the  declaration 
that  death  had  passed  on  all  men  on  account  of  one  man.  The  proof  is 
this :  the  infliction  of  penal  evils  implies  the  violation  of  law ;  the  vio- 
lation of  the  law  of  Moses  will  not  account  for  the  universality  of  death, 
because  men  died  before  that  law  was  given.  Neither  is  the  violation 
of  the  law  of  nature  sufficient  to  explain  the  fact  that  all  men  are  subject 
to  death,  because  even  those  die  who  have  never  broken  that  law.  As, 
therefore,  death  supposes  transgression,  and  neither  the  law  of  Moses 
nor  the  law  of  nature  embraces  all  the  victims  of  death,  it  follows  that 


120  ROMANS  5:  12—21. 

men  are  subject  to  penal  evils  on  account  of  the  sin  of  Adam.     It  is  for 
the  offence  of  one  that  many  die. 

In  order  to  the  proper  understanding  of  the  apostle's  argument,  it 
should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  term  death  stands  for  penal  evil;  not 
for  this  or  that  particular  form  of  it,  but  for  any  and  every  evil  judicially 
inflicted  for  the  support  of  law.  Paul's  reasoning  does  not  rest  upon  the 
mere  fact  that  all  men,  even  infants,  are  subject  to  natural  death  ;  for  this 
might  be  accounted  for  by  the  violation  of  the  law  of  Moses,  or  of  the 
law  of  nature,  or  by  their  inherent  native  depravity.  This  covers  the 
whole  ground,  and  may  account  for  the  universality  of  natural  death. 
But  no  one  of  these  causes,  nor  all  combined,  can  account  for  the  inflic- 
tion of  all  the  penal  evils  to  which  men  are  subjected.  The  great  fact 
in  the  apostle's  mind  was,  that  God  regards  and  treats  all  men,  from  the 
first  moment  of  their  existence,  as  out  of  fellowship  with  himself,  as 
having  forfeited  his  favour.  Instead  of  entering  into  communion  with 
them  the  moment  they  begin  to  exist  (as  he  did  with  Adam),  and  form- 
ing them  by  his  Spirit  in  his  own  moral  image,  he  regards  them  as  out 
of  his  favour,  and  withholds  the  influences  of  the  Spirit.  Why  is  this  1 
Why  does  God  thus  deal  with  the  human  racel  The  fact  that  he  does 
thus  deal  with  them  is  not  denied  by  any  except  Pelagians.  Why  then 
is  itT  Here  is  a  form  of  death  which  the  violation  of  the  law  of  Moses, 
the  transgression  of  the  law  of  nature,  the  existence  of  innate  depravity, 
separately  or  combined,  are  insufficient  to  account  for.  Its  infliction  is 
antecedent  to  them  all ;  and  yet  it  is  of  all  evils  the  essence  and  the  sum. 
Men  begin  to  exist  out  of  communion  with  God.  This  is  the  fact  which 
no  sophistry  can  get  out  of  the  Bible  or  the  history  of  the  world.  Paul 
tells  us  why  it  is.  It  is  because  we  fell  in  Adam ;  it  is  for  the  one  of- 
fence of  ONE  MAN  that  all  thus  die.  The  covenant  being  formed  with 
Adam,  not  only  for  himself,  but  also  for  his  posterity  (in  other  words, 
Adam  having  been  placed  on  trial  not  for  himself  only,  but  also  for  his 
race),  his  act  was,  in  virtue  of  this  relation,  regarded  as  our  act;  God 
withdrew  from  us  as  he  did  from  him ;  in  consequence  of  this  withdrawal 
we  begin  to  exist  in  moral  darkness,  destitute  of  a  disposition  to  delight 
in  God,  and  prone  to  delight  in  ourselves  and  the  world.  The  sin  of 
Adam,  therefore,  ruined  us ;  it  was  the  ground  of  the  withdrawing  of 
the  divine  favour  from  the  whole  race ;  and  the  intervention  of  the  Son 
of  God  for  our  salvation  is  an  act  of  pure,  sovereign,  and  wonderful  grace. 

Whatever  obscurity,  therefore,  rests  upon  this  passage,  arises  from 
taking  the  word  death  in  the  narrow  sense  in  which  it  is  commonly  used 
among  men ;  if  taken  in  its  scriptural  sense,  the  whole  argument  is  plain 
and  conclusive.  Let  penal  evil  be  substituted  for  the  word  deaths  and  the 
argument  will  stand  thus,  'All  men  are  subject  to  penal  evils  on  account 
of  one  man ;  this  is  the  position  to  be  proved  (v.  12).  That  such  is  the 
case  is  evident,  because  the  infliction  of  a  penalty  supposes  the  violation 
of  law.  But  such  evil  was  inflicted  before  the  giving  of  the  Mosaic 
law,  it  comes  on  men  before  the  transgression  of  the  law  of  nature,  or 


ROMANS  5:  12—21.  121 

even  the  existence  of  inherent  depravity;  it  must,  therefore,  be  for  the 
offence  of  one  man  that  judgment  has  come  upon  all  men  to  condemna- 
tion.' The  wide  sense  in  which  the  sacred  writers  use  the  word  death 
accounts  for  the  fact  that  the  dissolution  of  the  body  (which  is  one  form 
of  the  manifestation  of  the  divine  displeasure)  is  not  only  included  in  it, 
but  is  often  the  prominent  idea. 

Until  the  law.  That  the  law  of  Moses  is  here  intended  is  plain  from 
V.  14,  where  the  period  marked  by  the  words  until  the  law  is  described 
by  saying/rom  Adam  to  Moses. 

Sin  was  in  the  world,  that  is,  men  were  regarded  as  sinners.  These 
words  must  have  the  same  meaning  as  all  have  sinned  in  the  preceding 
verse.  They  neither  mean  that  men  were  corrupt,  nor  that  they  were 
actual  sinners,  but  that  they  were  treated  as  sinners.  This  is  obvious 
from  the  next  clause,  '  Before  the  time  of  Moses  men  were  treated  as 
sinners,  but  they  are  not  so  treated  where  there  is  no  law.'  Sin  is  not 
imputed  where  there  is  no  law.  That  is,  sin  is  not  laid  to  one's  account 
and  punished  ;  see  ch.  4:8,"  Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  will 
not  impute  sin  ;"  see  remarks  on  ch.  4  :  3,  and  the  frequently  recurring 
equivalent  expressions,  "His  iniquity  shall  be  upon  him,"  as  in  Num. 
15  :  31 ;  "  He  shall  bear  his  iniquity,"  Lev.  5:1.  The  principle  here 
advanced,  and  on  which  the  apostle's  argument  rests,  is  that  the  inflic- 
tion of  penal  evils  implies  the  violation  of  law.  The  only  question  then 
is,  what  law  have  all  mankind  violated  so  as  to  become  subject  to  death  1 
The  answer  follows  in  the  next  verse. 

(14)  Nevertheless  death  reigned  from  Adam  to  Moses.  That  is,  men 
were  subject  to  death  before  the  law  of  Moses  was  given,  and  conse- 
quently not  on  account  of  violating  it.  There  must  be  some  other 
ground,  therefore,  of  their  exposure  to  death. 

£ven  over  them  that  had  not  sinned  after  the  similitude  of  Adam^s  trans- 
gression. That  is,  who  had  not  sinned  as  Adam  did.  The  question  is, 
what  is  the  point  of  dissimilarity  to  which  the  apostle  here  refers? 
Some  say  it  is  that  Adam  violated  a  positive  command  to  which  the  sanc- 
uion  of  death  was  expressly  added,  and  that  those  referred  to  did  not. 
The  principal  objections  to  this  interpretation  are,  1.  That  it  destroys  the 
distinction  between  the  two  classes  of  persons  here  alluded  to.  It  makes 
Paul,  in  effect,  reason  thus,  '  Death  reigned  over  those  who  had  not  vio- 
lated any  positive  law,  even  over  those  who  had  not  violated  any  posi- 
tive law.'  It  is  obvious  that  the  first  clause  of  the  verse  describes  a 
general  class,  and  the  second  clause,  which  is  distinguished  from  the 
first  by  the  word  even,  only  a  portion  of  that  class.  All  men  who  died 
from  Adam  to  Moses  died  without  violating  a  positive  command.  The 
class,  therefore,  which  is  distinguished  from  them,  must  be  contrasted 
with  Adam  on  some  other  ground  than,  that  which  is  common  to  the 
whole.  2.  This  interpretation  is  inconsistent  with  the  context,  because 
it  involves  us  in  inextricable  difficulties  in  the  interpretation  of  vs.  13, 14. 
We  must  suppose  that  these  verses  are  designed  to  prove  that  all  men 

L 


122  ROMANS  5:  12—21. 

are  sinners,  which  is  altogether  at  variance  with  the  context,  with  the 
meaning  of  v.  12,  with  the  scope  of  the  passage  and  drift  of  the  argu- 
ment. Or  we  must  adopt  the  interpretation  of  those  who  confine  the 
word  death  to  mean  the  dissolution  of  the  body,  and  who  make  the  apos- 
tle argue  that  men  do  not  incur  this  particular  evil  for  their  own  sins,  but 
for  the  sin  of  Adam.  Or  we  are  driven  to  some  other  unsatisfactory  view 
of  the  passage.  In  short,  these  verses,  when  the  clause  in  question  is 
thus  explained,  present  insuperable  difficulties. 

Others  understand  the  difference  between  Adam  and  those  intended  to 
be  described  in  this  clause,  to  be,  that  Adam  sinned  personally  and  actu- 
ally, the  others  not.  In  favour  of  this  view  it  may  be  argued,  1.  That 
the  words  evidently  admit  of  this  interpretation  as  naturally  as  of  the 
other.  Paul  simply  says  the  persons  referred  to  did  not  sin  as  Adam 
did.  Whether  he  means  that  they  did  not  sin  at  all,  that  they  were  not 
sinners  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  that  term;  or  that  they  had  not  sinned 
against  the  same  kind  of  law,  depends  on  the  context,  and  is  not  deter- 
mined by  the  mere  form  of  expression.  2.  If  v.  12  teaches  that  men 
are  subject  to  death  on  account  of  the  sin  of  Adam,  if  this  is  the  doctrine 
of  the  whole  passage,  and  if,  as  is  admitted,  vs.  13,  14  are  designed  to 
prove  the  assertion  of  v.  12,  then  is  it  necessary  that  the  apostle  should 
show  that  death  comes  on  those  who  have  no  personal  and  actual  sins  to 
answer  for.  This  he  does.  *  Death  reigns  not  only  over  those  who  have 
never  broken  any  positive  law,  but  even  over  those  who  have  never 
sinned  as  Adam  did ;  that  is,  who  have  never  in  their  own  persons  vio- 
lated any  law,  by  which  their  exposure  to  death  can  be  accounted  for.' 
All  the  arguments,  therefore,  which  go  to  establish  the  interpretation 
given  above  of  v.  12,  or  the  correctness  of  the  exhibition  of  the  course 
of  the  apostle's  argument,  and  design  of  the  whole  passage,  bear  with 
all  their  force  in  support  of  the  view  here  given  of  this  clause.  Almost 
all  the  objections  to  this  interpretation,  being  founded  on  misapprehen- 
sion, are  answered  by  the  mere  statement  of  the  case.  The  simple  doc- 
trine and  argument  of  the  apostle  is,  that  there  are  penal  evils  which 

COME  UPON  men  antecedently  TO  ANY  TRANSGRESSIONS  OF  THEIR  OWN, 
AND  AS  THE  INFLICTION  OF  THESE  EVILS  IMPLIES  A  VIOLATION  OF  LAW, 
IT  FOLLOWS  THAT  THEY  ARE  REGARDED  AND  TREATED  AS  SINNERS  ON 
THE    GROUND    OF   THE    DISOBEDIENCE    OF    ANOTHER.      In   Other    WOrds,   that 

it  was  by  the  offence  of  one  man  that  judgment  came  on  all  men  to  con- 
demnation. It  is  of  course  not  implied  in  this  statement  or  argument 
that  men  are  not  now,  or  were  not  from  Adam  to  Moses,  punishable  for 
their  own  sins,  but  simply  that  they  are  subject  to  penal  evils  which  can- 
not be  accounted  for  on  the  ground  of  their  personal  transgressions. 
This  statement,  which  contains  the  whole  doctrine  of  imputation,  is  so 
obviously  contained  in  the  argument  of  the  apostle,  and  stands  out  so 
conspicuously  in  the  Bible,  and  is  so  fully  established  by  the  history  of 
the  world,  that  it  is  frequently  and  freely  admitted  by  the  great  majority 
of  commentators. 


ROMANS  5:  12—21.  123 

Who  was  a  figure  of  him  that  was  to  ceme.  The  word  translated 
figure  means  properly  a  prints  or  impression  of  any  thing,  John  20  :  25, 
where  it  is  used  of  the  print  of  the  nails ;  then  more  generally  an  image, 
model,  likeness,  type.  The  simple  meaning,  is  that  Adam  was  like 
Christ.  Him  that  was  to  come,  i.  e.  the  Messiah,  who  is  called  the 
second  Adam,  1  Cor.  15  :  45  ;  and  from  the  fact  that  he  had  been  long 
expected,  "He  that  was  to  come,"  Matt.  11:3.  The  point  of  resem- 
blance between  Adam  and  Christ  is  to  be  gathered  from  the  context.  It 
is  this :  each  stood  as  the  head  and  representative  of  all  connected  with 
them.  By  the  offence  of-  the  one  all  connected  with  him  are  subject  to 
death ;  and  by  the  righteousness  of  the  other  all  connected  with  him  are 
justified  and  saved. 

As  Paul  commenced  this  section  with  the  design  of  instituting  this 
comparison  between  Christ  and  Adam,  and  interrupted  himself  to  prove, 
in  vs.  13,  14,  that  Adam  was  really  the  representative  of  his  race,  or 
that  all  men  are  subject  to  death  for  his  offence ;  and  having,  at  the  close 
of  V.  14,  announced  the  fact  of  this  resemblance,  by  calling  Adam  a  type 
of  Christ,  he  again  stops  to  limit  and  explain  this  declaration,  by  point- 
ing out  the  real  nature  of  the  analogy.  This  he  does  principally  by 
showing,  in  verses  15,  16,  17,  the  particulars  in  which  the  comparison 
does  not  hold.  And  in  vs.  18,  19,  which  are  a  resumption  of  the  senti- 
ment of  V.  12,  he  states  the  grand  point  of  their  agreement. 

(15)  But  not  as  the  offence,  so  also  is  the  free  gift.  The  cases,  al- 
though parallel,  are  not  precisely  alike.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  far  more 
consistent  with  our  views  of  the  character  of  God  that  many  should  be 
benefited  by  the  merit  of  one  man,  than  that  they  should  suffer  for  the 
sin  of  one.  If  the  latter  has  happened,  much  more  may  we  expect  the 
former  to  occur.  The  attentive  reader  of  this  passage  will  perceive  con- 
stantly increasing  evidence  that  the  design  of  the  apostle  is,  not  to  show 
that  the  blessings  procured  by  Christ  are  greater  than  the  evils  caused 
by  Adam ;  but  to  illustrate  and  confirm  the  prominent  doctrine  of  the 
epistle,  that  we  are  justified  on  the  ground  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ. 
This  is  obvious  from  the  sentiment  of  this  verse,  '  If  we  die  for  the  sin 
of  Adam,  much  more  may  we  live  through  the  righteousness  of  Christ.' 

The  expression  hut  not  as  the  offence,  so  also  is  the  free  gift,  is  sin- 
gularly concise  and  by  itself  obscure.  But  viewed  in  the  light  of  the 
context,  it  is  sufficiently  plain.  The  offence  includes  not  only  the  idea 
of  the  sin,  but  of  the  punishment  of  Adam ;  and  the  free  gift  is  not  only 
the  righteousness  of  Christ,  considered  as  a  gracious  gift  of  God,  but 
also  its  reward.  The  former,  therefore,  is  equivalent  to  the  word  fall; 
and  the  latter  to  its  opposite,  gracious  restoration.  The  context  shows 
this  to  be  the  full  meaning  of  the  words.  As,  however,  the  sin  is  the 
most  prominent  idea  in  the  one  phrase,  and  the  righteousness  in  the  other, 
these  alone  seem  to  be  intended  in  the  next  clause,  their  consequences 
being  left  out  of  view. 

For  if  through  the  offence  of  one  many  he  dead,  that  is,  if  on  account 


124  ROMANS  5:   12—21. 

of  the  offence  of  the  one  many  die.  The  dative,  which  is  the  case  in 
which  the  word  for  offence  here  occurs,  is  used  very  frequently  to  express 
the  ground  or  reason  of  a  thing.  Rom.  11 :  20,  "Because  of  unbelief 
they  were  broken  off,"  &c.  Many^  or  rather  the  raany^  evidently  means 
the  multitude,  the  mass,  the  whole  race  ;  as  the  words  many  and  all  are 
interchangeably  used  throughout  the  passage. 

It  is  here,  therefore,  expressly  asserted  that  the  sin  of  Adam  was  the 
cause  of  all  his  posterity's  being  subjected  to  death,  that  is,  to  penal  evil. 
But.it  may  still  be  asked  whether  it  was  the  occasional  or  the  immediate 
cause.  That  is,  whether  the  apostle  means  Xo  say  that  the  sin  of  Adam 
was  the  occasion  of  all  men  being  placed  in  such  circumstances  that  they 
all  sin,  and  thus  incur  death ;  or  that,  by  being  the  cause  of  the  corrup- 
tion of  their  nature,  it  is  thus  indirectly  the  cause  of  their  condemnation  ; 
or  whether  he  is  to  be  understood  as  saying  that  his  sin  is  the  direct  ju- 
dicial ground  or  reason  for  the  infliction  of  penal  evil  ?  Does  the  dative 
here  express  the  occasional  cause,  or  the  ground  or  reason  of  the  result 
attributed  to  the  offence  of  one  man  1  1.  That  such  may  be  the  force  and 
meaning  of  the  words,  as  they  here  stand,  no  one  can  pretend  to  doubt. 
That  is,  no  one  can  deny  that  the  dative  case  can  express  the  ground  or 
reason  as  well  as  the  occasion  of  a  thing.  2.  This  interpretation  is  not 
only  possible,  and  in  strict  accordance  with  the  meaning  of  the  words, 
but  it  is  here  demanded  by  the  context;  because  the  sentiment  expressed 
by  these  words  is  confessedly  the  same  as  that  taught  in  those  which 
follow ;  and  they,  as  will  appear  in  the  sequel,  will  not  bear  the  oppo- 
site interpretation.  3.  It  is  demanded  by  the  whole  design  and  drift  of 
the  passage.  The  very  point  of  the  comparison  is,  that  as  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ,  and  not  our  own  works,  is  the  ground  of  our  justification  ; 
so  the  sin  of  Adam,  antecedently  to  any  sins  of  our  own,  is  the  ground 
of  the  infliction  of  certain  penal  evils.  If  the  latter  be  denied,  the  very 
point  of  the  analogy  between  Christ  and  Adam  is  destroyed. 

Much  more  the  grace  of  God,  and  the  gift  by  grace,  which  is  by  one  man, 
hath  abounded  unto  many.  Had  Paul  been  studious  of  uniformity  in  the 
Structure  of  his  sentences,  this  clause  would  have  been  differently  worded. 
*  If  by  the  offence  of  one  many  die,  much  more  by  the  free  gift  of  one  shall 
many  live.'  The  meaning  is  the  same.  The  force  of  the  passage  lies 
in  the  words  much  more.  The  idea  is  not  that  the  grace  is  more  abun- 
dant and  efficacious  than  the  offence  and  its  consequences,  which  idea  is 
expressed  in  v.  20,  but  if  the  one  dispensation  has  occurred,  much  more 
may  the  other;  if  we  die  for  one,  much  more  may  we  live  by  another. 
The  first  clause  of  the  verse  may  be  thus  interpreted,  '  the  grace  of  God, 
even  the  gift  by  grace ;'  so  that  the  latter  phrase  is  explanatory  of  the 
former.  If  they  are  to  be  distinguished,  the  first  refers  to  the  cause,  viz. 
the  grace  of  God  *,  and  the  second  to  the  result,  viz.  the  gift  by  grace, 
i.  e.  the  gracious  or  free  gift.  Which  is  by  one  man,  Jesus  Christ ;  that 
is,  which  comes  to  us  through  Christ.  This  free  gift  is  of  course  the 
opposite  of  what  comes  upon  us  for  the  sake  of  Adam.     Guilt  and  con 


ROMANS  5:  12—21.  125 

demnation  come  from  him;  righteousness  and  consequent  acceptance 
from  Jesus  Christ.  What  is  here  called  the  free  gift  is,  in  v.  17,  called 
the  gift  of  righteousness.  Hath  abounded  unto  many  ,•  that  is,  has  been 
freely  and  abundantly  bestowed  on  many.  Whether  the  many  in  this 
clause  is  coextensive  numerically  with  the  many  in  the  other,  will  be 
considered  under  v.  18. 

(16)  And  not  as  it  was  iy  one  that  sinned,  so  is  gift,  &c.  This 
clause,  as  it  stands  in  the  original,  and  not  as  by  one  that  sinned,  the 
gift,  is  obviously  elliptical.  Some  word  corresponding  to  gift  is  to  be 
supplied  in  the  first  member.  Either  offence,  which  is  opposed  to  the 
free  gift  in  the  preceding  verse  ;  or  judgment,  which  occurs  in  the  next 
clause.  The  sense  then  is,  'The  gift  (of  justification,  see  v.  17)  was  not 
like  the  sentence  which  came  by  one  that  sinned.'  The  point  of  this 
verse  is,  that  the  sentence  of  condemnation  which  passed  on  all  men* 
for  the  sake  of  Adam,  was  for  07ie  oflfence,  whereas  we  are  justified  by 
Christ  from  many  offences.  Christ  does  much  more  than  remove  the 
guilt  and  evils  consequent  on  the  sin  of  Adam.  This  is  the  second  par- 
ticular in  which  the  work  of  Christ  differs  from  that  of  Adam. 

For  the  judgment  was  by  one  to  condemiiation.  By  one  does  not 
here  mean  by  one  man,  but  by  one  offence,  as  is  obvious  from  its  opposi- 
tion to  the  phrase  many  offences  in  the  same  clause.  "  A  judgment  to 
condemnation"  is  an  Hebraic  or  Hellenistic  idiom  for  a  condemnatory 
judgment,  or  sentence  of  condemnation.  The  word  rendered  judgment 
properly  means  the  decision  or  sentence  of  a  judge,  and  is  here  to  be 
taken  in  its  usual  and  obvious  signification. 

It  is  then  plainly  stated  in  this  clause  that '  the  sentence  of  condemna- 
tion passed  on  all  men  for  the  one  oflfence  of  Adam.'  This  interpretation 
of  the  clause  is  obviously  the  correct  one.  1.  Because  it  is  the  simple 
and  proper  meaning  of  the  words.  To  say  that  a  sentence  is  for  an  of- 
fence, is  to  say  that  the  sentence  is  on  account  of  the  offence,  and  not 
that  the  oflfence  is  the  cause  of  something  else  which  is  the  ground  of  the 
sentence.  The  preposition  rendered  by  expresses  properly  the  origin  of 
one  thing  from  another ;  and  is  therefore  used  to  indicate  almost  any  re- 
lation in  which  a  cause  may  stand  to  an  eflfect.  The  logical  character  of 
this  relation  depends,  of  course,  on  the  nature  of  the  subject  spoken  of. 
In  all  such  cases  as  Gal.  2:  16,  "A  man  is  not  justified  Jy  works;" 
Rom.  9:11,  the  purpose  of  election  "  is  not  of  works  ;"  Tit.  3  :  5,  we 
are  saved  "  not  by  works  of  righteousness,"  and  in  a  multitude  of  simi- 
lar examples,  it  indicates  the  rational  cause,  or  reason,  as  it  does  here. 
W^e  are  not  elected,  justified,  or  saved  on  account  of  our  works.  When 
Paul,  therefore,  says  we  are  condemned  by  or  for  the  oflfence  of  one,  and 
that  we  are  justified  by  or  for  the  righteousness  of  another,  the  meaning 
obviously  is,  that  it  is  on  account  of  the  offence  we  are  condemned,  and 

*  The  words  all  men  are  expressed  in  v.  18,  where  this  clause  is  repeated.  "  By 
the  ofience  of  one  judgment  came  on  all  men  to  condemnation." 

l2 


1^6  ROMANS  5:  13—21. 

on  account  of  the  righteousness  we  are  justified.  The  expression  "  the 
sentence  was  by  one  offence"  teaches  as  clearly  the  mode  of  condemna- 
tion, as  the  mode  of  justification  is  taught  by  saying  "  it  is  not  by  works," 
but  "  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ."  2.  This  interpretation  is  not 
only  the  simple  and  natural  meaning  of  the  words,  but  is  rendered  ne- 
cessary by  the  context.  We  have  in  this  verse  the  idea  of  pardon  on 
the  one  hand,  and  condemnation  on  the  other.  If  the  lattei  clause 
means,  as  is  admitted,  that  we  are  pardoned  for  many  offences,  the  former 
must  mean  we  are  condemned  for  one.  3.  The  whole  force  of  the  con- 
trast lies  in  this  very  idea.  The  antithesis  in  this  verse  is  between  the 
one  offence  and  the  many  offences.  To  make  Paul  say  that  the  offence 
of  Adam  was  the  means  of  involving  us  in  a  multitude  of  crimes,  from 
all  of  which  Christ  saves  us,  is  to  make  the  evil  and  tne  benefit  exactly 
equal.  *  Adam  leads  us  into  offences  from  which  Christ  delivers  us.' 
Here  is  no  contrast  and  no  superiority.  Paul,  howevei,  evidently  means 
to  assert  that  the  evil,  from  which  Christ  saves  us,  is  far  greater  than 
that  which  Adam  has  brought  upon  us.  According  to  the  natural  inter- 
pretation of  the  verse  this  idea  is  retained  ;  '  Adam  brought  upon  us  the 
condemnation  of  one  offence ;  Christ  saves  us  from  that  of  many.'' 
4.  Add  to  these  considerations  the  obvious  meaning  of  the  corresponding 
clauses  in  the  other  verses,  especially  in  v.  19,  and  the  design  of  the 
apostle  so  often  referred  to,  and  it  seems  scarcely  possible  to  resist  the 
evidence  in  favour  of  this  view  of  the  passage.* 

The  free  gift  is  of  many  offences  unto  justification^  that  is,  the  free 
gift  is  justification.  The  construction  of  this  clause  is  the  same  as  that 
of  the  preceding  one,  and  is  to  be  explained  in  the  same  way.  As,  how- 
ever, the  logical  relation  of  a  sentence  to  an  offence  is  not  the  same  as 
that  of  pardon  to  transgressions,  the  preposition  (e/t)  cannot  express  pre- 
cisely the  same  idea  here  as  in  the  foregoing  clause.  Though  it  is  pro- 
per to  say  we  are  condemned  on  account  of  our  offences,  we  cannot  say 
we  are  pardoned  or  justified  on  account  of  them  in  precisely  the  same 
sense.  Our  translators  render  the  word,  therefore,  in  the  first  instance 
by.,  and  in  the  second  of.  The  sentiment  of  the  verse  then  is,  '  While, 
on  account  of  Adam,  we  suffer  the  sentence  of  condemnation  pronounced 
on  one  sin,  we  are  freed  through  Christ  from  the  condemnation  of  many.' 

(17)  For  if  by  one  man''s  offence  death  reigned  by  one,-  much  more, 
&c.  It  is  doubtful  whether  this  verse  is  a  mere  amplification  of  the 
idea  of  v.  15,  which,  in  import  and  structure,  it  so  much  resembles;  or 
whether  the  stress  is  to  be  laid  on  the  last  clause,  reigning  in  life,-  so  that 
the  point  of  the  difference  between  Adam  and  Christ,  as  here  indicated, 
is,  Christ  not  only  delivers  from  death,  but  bestows  eternal  life;  or, 
finally,  whether  the  emphasis  is  to  be  laid  on  the  word  receive.     The 

*  This  interpretation  is  given  not  only  by  the  older  and  stricter  Calvinistics,  but 
by  Arminians,  Pelagians,  Rationalists,  and  the  great  body  of  philological  com- 
mentators. 


ROMANS  5:  12—21.  127 

idea  would  then  be,  '  if  we  are  thus  subject  to  death  for  an  offence  in 
which  we  had  no  personal  concern,  how  much  more  shall  we  be  saved 
by  a  righteousness  which  we  voluntarily  embrace.'  The  decision  of 
these  questions  is  not  at  all  material  to  the  general  interpretation  of  the 
passage.  Both  of  the  ideas  contained  in  the  latter  two  views  of  the 
verse  are  probably  to  be  included. 

Fur  if  by  one  man's  offence  death  reigned  by  ane.  That  is,  if  on 
account  of  the  offence  of  one  man  many  are  subject  to  death.  This 
clause  is  a  repetition,  in  nearly  the  same  words,  of  the  second  clause  of 
V.  15,  if  through  the  offence  of  one  many  be  dead,  and  is  to  be  explained 
in  the  same  way.  The  dative  has  the  same  force  here  which  it  has 
there.     See  the  remarks  on  that  verse. 

Much  more  they  which  receive  abundance  of  grace  and  the  gift  of 
righteousness  shall  reign  in  life  by  one,  Jesus  Christ.  The  phrase  abun- 
dance of  grace  i^  explained  by  the  following  one,  gift  of  righteousness; 
'  grace,  even  the  gift  of  righteousness ;'  which  is  the  gift  or  favour  of 
which  the  apostle  is  speaking  throughout  the  whole  passage.  That 
righteousness  here  does  not  mean  holiness,  is  evident  from  the  constant 
use  of  the  word  by  Paul  in  a  different  sense  in  this  epistle ;  from  the 
fact  that  it  is  pardon,  justification,  justifying  righteousness,  not  sanctifi- 
calion,  that  Paul  in  the  context  represents  as  the  blessing  received  from 
Christ ;  and  because  it  is  in  this  verse  opposed  to  the  reigning  of  death, 
or  state  of  condemnation,  on  account  of  the  offence  of  Adam.  They 
which  receive  the  abundant  grace  expresses  much  more  than  the  mere 
offer  of  pardon.  It  cannot  be  said  of  all  who  live  under  a  dispensation 
of  grace  that  they  shall  reign  in  life  through  Jesus  Christ.  This  clause 
evidently  is  descriptive  of  those  who  voluntarily  embrace  the  offered 
blessing.  The  gift  of  righteousness  is  something  more  than  pardoning 
grace.  It  is  that  which  is  expressed  in  v.  15  by  the  free  gift,-  and  in 
v.  16  by  the  free  gift  unto  justification.  It  is,  therefore,  the  gift  of 
justification  ;  or,  what  is  but  another  method  of  stating  the  same  idea,  it 
is  the  righteousness  of  Christ  by  which  we  are  justified,  since  the  gift 
of  justification  includes  the  gift  of  Christ's  righteousness.  The  mean- 
ing of  the  verse  consequently  is,  '  If  on  account  of  the  offence  of  one 
man  we  are  condemned,  much  more  shall  those  who  receive  the  right- 
eousness graciously  offered  to  them  in  the  gospel,  not  only  be  delivered 
from  condemnation,  but  also  reign  in  life  by  one,  Jesus  Christ;'  that  is, 
be  gloriously  exalted  in  the  participation  of  that  life  of  holiness  and  com- 
munion with  God  which  is  the  end  of  our  being,  and  of  which  Christ 
alone  is  the  author. 

By  one,  Jesus  Christ.  As  it  was  by  one  man,  antecedently  to  any  con- 
currence of  our  own,  that  we  were  brought  into  a  state  of  condemnation, 
so  it  is  by  one  man,  without  any  merit  of  our  own,  that  we  are  delivered 
fi-qm  this  state.  If  the  one  event  has  happened,  much  more  may  we 
expect  the  other  to  occur.  If  we  are  thus  involved  in  the  condemnation 
of  a  sin  in  which  we  had  no  personal  concern,  much  more  shall  we,  who 


128  ROMANS  5  :  12—21. 

voluntarily  receive  the  gift  of  righteousness,  be  not  only  saved  from  the 
consequences  of  the  fall,  but  be  made  partakers  of  eternal  life. 

(18)  Therefore^  as  hy  the  offence  of  one  judgment  came  on  all  men  lo 
condemnation;  even  so,  &c.  The  words  rendered  therefore  mark  the  re- 
sumption of  the  comparison  commenced  in  v.  12.  The  carrying  out  of 
this  comparison  was  interrupted,  in  the  first  place,  to  prove,  in  vs.  13, 14, 
the  position  assumed  in  v.  12,  that  all  men  are  subject  to  death  on  ac- 
count of  the  sin  of  Adam ;  and,  in  the  second  place,  to  limit  and  explain 
the  analogy  asserted  to  exist  between  Christ  and  Adam,  at  the  close  of 
V.  14.  This  is  done  in  vs.  15,  16,  17.  Having  thus  fortified  and  ex- 
plained his  meaning,  the  apostle  now  states  the  case  in  full.  The  word 
therefore,  at  the  beginning  of  v.  12,  marks  an  inference  from  the  whole 
doctrine  of  the  epistle ;  the  corresponding  words  here  are  also  strictly 
inferential.  It  had  been  proved  that  we  are  justified  by  the  righteous- 
ness of  one  man,  and  it  has  also  been  proved  that  we  are  under  condem- 
nation for  the  offence  of  one.  Therefore,  as  we  are  condemned,  even  so 
are  we  justified. 

It  will  be  remarked,  from  the  manner  in  which  they  are  printed,  that 
the  words  judgment  came,  in  the  first  clause  of  this  verse,  and  the  free 
gift  came,  in  the  second,  have  nothing  to  answer  to  them  in  the  original. 
That  they  are  correctly  and  necessarily  supplied,  is  obvious  from  a 
reference  to  v.  16,  where  these  elliptical  phrases  occur  in  full. 

The  construction  in  these  clauses,  the  judgment  was  to  condemnation, 
and  the  free  gift  was  unto  justification  of  life,  is  the  same  as  that  in  the 
second  clause  of  v.  16,  and  is  to  be  explained  in  the  same  manner.  '  The 
sentence  was  condemnation,'  i.  e.  condemnatory.  This  came  upon  all 
men  by  the  offence  of  one  ;  that  is,  on  that  account  they  were  condemned. 
*  The  free  gift  was  justification  of  life.'  This  also  comes  on  all  by  the 
righteousness  of  one;  that  is,  on  this  ground  they  are  justified.  The 
ex^xes&ioxx  justification  of  life  means  that  justification  which  is  connected 
with  eternal  life,  or  of  which  that  life  is  the  consequence. 

There  are  two  important  questions  yet  to  be  considered  in  reference  to 
this  verse.  The  first  is.  What  is  the  force  of  the  phrase  hy  the  offence  of 
one  judgment  came  on  all  men  to  condemnation?  There  is  no  dispute  as 
to  the  meaning  of  the  expression  "judgment  came  on  all  to  condemna- 
tion ;"  it  is  admitted  to  mean,  what  alone  it  can  mean,  that  all  are  con- 
demned ;  see  above  on  v.  16.  But  the  question  is,  "What  is  the  relation 
between  the  offence  of  Adam  and  the  condemnation  of  men  1  Or  what 
is  the  force  of  the  words  by  the  offence  of  one?  According  to  the  com- 
mon, and,  as  it  is  believed,  the  only  correct  view  of  the  passage,  these 
words  state  that  the  offence  of  Adam  was  the  ground  of  the  condemna- 
tion of  men,  and  not  merely  the  occasion  of  it.  The  preposition  which 
is  rendered  hy  {Sia)  is  not  the  same  as  that  which  is  so  translated  in 
V.  16.  It  is  readily  admitted  that  this  preposition  has,  with  the  genitive, 
the  meaning  hy  means  of,  and  with  the  accusative,  on  account  of.  With 
the  former  case  it  expresses  the  means  by  which  any  thing  is  done,  and, 


ROMANS  5:  12—21.  129 

with  the  latter,  the  ground  or  reason  for  which  it  is  done.  As  the  geni- 
tive is  used  here  and  in  the  following  verse,  it  may  be  argued  that  Paul 
does  not  mean  to  say  that  the  offence  of  Adam  was  the  ground  of  our 
condemnation,  but  that  it  was  the  occasion  of  it  merely ;  or,  in  general 
terms,  the  cause  of  it,  without  indicating  the  nature  of  that  cause. 
While  it  is  admitted  that  the  preposition  in  question,  with  the  genitive, 
properly  indicates  the  means  to  an  end,  yet,  from  the  nature  of  the  case, 
that  means  may  be  the  ground  or  reason  on  which  any  thing  is  done. 
Thus,  in  V.  12  of  this  chapter,  Paul  says  "  death  was  by  sin,"  i.  e.  sin 
was  the  means  or  cause  of  death,  yet  it  was  such  by  being  the  ground  or 
reason  of  its  infliction.  The  sense,  therefore,  is  accurately  expressed  by 
saying  '  death  was  on  account  of  sin.'  In  ch.  3  :  24  we  are  said  to  be 
justified  "through  the  redemption"  of  Christ,  i.  e.  hy  means  of  it;  yet 
here  the  means  is  of  the  nature  of  the  ground  or  reason  of  our  justifica- 
tion. The  same  remark  may  be  made  in  reference  to  the  frequent  phrases 
"  through  his  blood,"  Eph.  1 :  7.  Col.  1  :  14,  &c. ;  "  through  his  death," 
Rom.  5  :  10.  Col.  1  :  22  ;  "by  the  cross,"  Eph.  2  :  16,  &c. ;  »  by  the 
sacrifice  of  himself,"  Heb.  9 :  26  ;  "through  the  offering  of  the  body  of 
Jesus,"  Heb.  10:  10;  in  all  these,  and  a  multitude  of  similar  cases,  the 
preposition  in  question  retains  its  appropriate  force  with  the  genitive,  as 
indicating  the  means,  and  yet  in  all  of  them  the  means  is  the  ground  or 
reason.  Thus  also,  in  this  immediate  connexion,  we  have  the  expres- 
sions "%  the  righteousness  of  one"  all  are  justified  ;  and  "%  the  obe- 
dience of  one  shall  many  be  made  righteous."  We  have,  therefore,  in 
this  single  passage  no  less  than  three  cases,  vs.  12,  18,  19,  in  which  this 
preposition  with  the  genitive  indicates  such  a  means  to  an  end,  as  the 
ground  or  reason  on  account  of  which  something  is  given  or  performed. 
All  this  is  surely  sufficient  to  prove  that  it  may^  in  the  case  before  us, 
express  the  ground  why  the  sentence  of  condemnation  has  passed  on  all 
men.  That  such,  in  this  connexion,  must  be  its  meaning,  appears, 
1.  From  the  nature  of  the  subject  spoken  of.  To  say  that  one  man  has 
been  corrupted  by  another,  may  indeed  express  very  generally  that  one 
was  the  cause  of  the  corruption  of  the  other,  without  giving  any  informa- 
tion as  to  the  mode  in  which  the  result  was  secured.  But  to  say  that  a 
man  was  justified  by  means  of  a  good  action,  or  that  he  was  condemned 
by  means  of  a  bad  one;  or,  plainer  still,  in  Paul's  own  language,  that  a 
condemnatory  sentence  came  upon  him  by  means  of  that  action  ;  accord 
ing  to  all  common  rules  of  interpretation,  naturally  means  thot  such  ac- 
tion was  the  reason  of  the  sentence.  2.  From  the  antithesis.  If  the 
phrase  "by  the  righteousness  of  one  all  are  justified"  means,  as  is  ad- 
mitted, that  that  righteousness  is  the  ground  of  our  justification;  the 
opposite  clause,  "  by  the  offence  of  one  all  are  condemned,"  must  have  a 
similar  meaning.  3.  The  point  of  the  comparison,  as  frequently  re- 
marked before,  lies  in  this  very  idea.  The  fact  that  Adam's  sin  was  the 
occasion  of  our  sinning,  and  thus  incurring  the  divine  displeasure,  is  no 
illustration  of  the  fact  that  Christ's  righteousness,  and  not  our  own 


130  ROMANS  5:  12—21. 

merit,  is  the  ground  of  our  acceptance.  There  would  be  some  plausi- 
bility in  this  interpretation,  if  it  were  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  that 
Christ's  righteousness  is  the  occasion  of  our  becoming  holy,  and  that  on 
the  ground  of  this  personal  holiness  we  are  justified.  But  this  not  being 
the  case,  the  interpretation  in  question  cannot  be  adopted  in  consistency 
with  the  design  of  the  apostle,  or  the  common  rules  of  exposition. 
4.  This  clause  is  nearly  identical  with  the  corresponding  one  of  v.  16, 
*'  the  judgment  was  by  one  (offence)  to  condemnation."  But  that  clause, 
as  shown  above,  is  made,  almost  by  common  consent,  to  mean  that  the 
offence  was  the  ground  of  the  condemnatory  sentence.  Such,  therefore, 
must  be  the  meaning  of  the  apostle  in  this  verse  ;  compare  also  vs.  15, 
17,  19. 

The  second  question  of  importance  respecting  this  verse  is,  whether 
the  all  men  of  the  second  clause  is  coextensive  with  the  all  men  of  the 
first.  Are  the  all  who  are  justified  for  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  the 
all  who  are  condemned  for  the  sin  of  Adam  1  In  regard  to  this  point  it 
may  be  remarked,  in  the  first  place,  that  no  inference  can  be  fairly  drawn 
in  favour  of  an  affirmative  answer  to  this  question,  from  the  mere  uni- 
versality of  the  expression.  Nothing  is  more  familiar  to  the  readers  of 
the  Scriptures  than  that  such  universal  terms  are  to  be  limited  by  the 
nature  of  the  subject  or  the  context.  Thus,  John  3 :  26,  it  is  said  of 
Christ,  "all  men  come  to  him  ;"  John  12  :  32,  Christ  says,  "I,  if  I  be 
lifted  up,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me."  Thus  the  expressions  "  all  the 
world  should  be  taxed,"  "all  Judea,"  "  all  Jerusalem,"  must,  from  the 
nature  of  the  case,  be  limited.  In  a  multitude  of  cases  the  words  all^  all 
things,  mean  the  all  spoken  of  in  the  context,  and  not  all  without  excep- 
tion ;  see  Eph.  1  :  10.  Col.  1  :  20.  1  Cor.  15  :  22,  51,  &c.  &c.  2.  This 
limitation  is  always  implied  when  the  Scriptures  elsewhere  speak  of  a 
necessary  condition  connected  with  the  blessing  to  which  all  are  said  to 
attain.  It  is  everywhere  taught  that  faith  is  necessary  to  justification  ; 
and,  therefore,  when  it  is  said  "  all  are  justified,"  it  must  mean  all  be- 
lievers. "  By  him,"  says  this  apostle,  "  all  that  believe  are  justified  from 
all  things,"  &c.  Acts  13  :  39.  3.  As  if  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  mis- 
take, Paul,  in  V.  17,  says  it  is  those  who  "receive  the  gift  of  right- 
eousness" that  reign  in  life.  4.  Even  the  all  men,  in  the  first  clause, 
must  be  limited  to  those  descended  from  Adam  "  by  ordinary  genera- 
tion." It  is  not  absolutely  all.  The  man  Christ  Jesus  must  be  ex- 
cepted. The  plain  meaning  is,  all  connected  with  Adam,  and  all  con- 
nected with  Christ.  5.  A  reference  to  the  similar  passage  in  1  Cor.  15  : 
22,  confirms  this  interpretation,  "As  in  Adam  all  die,  so  in  Christ  shall 
all  be  made  alive ;"  that  is,  shall  be  made  partakers  of  a  glorious  resur- 
rection and  of  eternal  life.  Thus  the  original  word  and  the  context 
require  the  latter  clause  of  that  verse  to  be  understood.  The  all  there 
intended  are  immediately  called  "they  that  are  Christ's,"  v.  23,  i.  e.  all 
connected  with  him,  and  not  numerically  the  all  that  die  in  Adam. 
6.  This  interpretation  is  necessary  because  it  is  impossible,  with  any 


ROMANS  5:  12-^21.  131 

regard  to  scriptural  usage  or  truth,  to  carry  the  opposite  interpretation 
through.  In  this  whole  passage  there  are  two  classes  of  persons  spoken 
of,  those  connected  with  Adam  and  those  connected  with  Christ.  Of 
the  former  it  is  said,  "  they  die,"  v.  15 ;  "  they  are  condemned,"  vs.  16, 
18  ;  "  they  are  made  sinners,"  v.  19,  by  the  offence  of  one  man.  Of  the 
latter  it  is  said,  that  to  them  "  the  grace  of  God  and  the  gift  by  grace 
hath  abounded,"  v.  15 ;  "  that  they  are  freely  justified  from  many  of- 
fences," vs.  16,  18  ;  "  that  they  shall  reign  in  life  through  Christ  Jesus," 
V.  17 ;  "  that  they  are  regarded  and  treated  as  righteous,"  v.  19.  If  these 
things  can  be  said  of  all  men,  of  impenitent  sinners  and  hardened  repro- 
bates, what  remains  to  be  said  of  the  people  of  God  1  It  is  not  possible 
so  to  eviscerate  these  declarations  as  to  make  them  contain  nothing  more 
than  that  the  chance  of  salvation  is  offered  to  all  men.  To  say  that  a 
man  is  justified,  is  not  to  say  that  he  has  the  opportunity  of  justifying 
himself;  and  to  say  that  a  man  shall  reign  in  life,  is  not  to  say  he  may 
possibly  be  saved.  Who  ever  announces  to  a  congregation  of  sinners 
that  they  are  all  justified — they  are  all  constituted  righteous — they  all 
have  the  justification  of  life?  The  interpretation  which  requires  all 
these  strong  and  plain  declarations  to  be  explained  in  a  sense  which  they 
confessedly  have  nowhere  else  in  the  Bible,  and  which  makes  them 
mean  hardly  any  thing  at  all,  is  at  variance  with  every  souncf  principle 
of  construction.  It  is  not  within  the  bounds  of  possibility  that  "  the 
many  (i.e.  all)  shall  be  constituted  righteous;"  that  is,  "justified, 
pardoned,  accepted  and  treated  as  righteous,"  means  nothing  more  than 
that  acceptance  is  proffered  to  all  men.  Paul's  doctrine,  therefore,  is, 
*  As  on  account  of  the  offence  of  Adam,  all  connected  with  him  are  con- 
demned ;  so  on  account  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  all  connected  with 
him  have  the  justification  of  life.' 

(19)  For  as  by  one  man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sinners,  so 
by  the  obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  made  righteous.  This  verse  pre- 
sents the  doctrine  of  the  preceding  one  in  a  somewhat  different  form. 
As  in  the  doctrine  of  justification,  there  are  the  two  ideas  of  the  ascrip- 
tion of  righteousness,  and  treating  as  righteous  ;  and  in  the  doctrine  of 
the  fall,  the  ascription  of  guilt  (legal  responsibility),  and  the  treating  all 
men  as  guilty;  so  either  of  these  ideas  is  frequently  presented  more 
prominently  than  the  other.  In  v.  18  it  is  the  latter,  in  each  case,  which 
is  made  most  conspicuous,  and  in  v.  19  the  former.  In  v.  18  it  is  our 
being  treated  as  sinners  for  the  sin  of  Adam,  and  our  being  treated  as 
righteous  for  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  that  is  most  prominently  pre- 
sented. In  V.  19,  on  the  contrary,  it  is  our  being  regarded  as  sinners 
for  the  disobedience  of  Adam,  and  our  being  regarded  as  righteous  for 
the  obedience  of  Christ,  that  are  rendered  most  conspicuous.  Hence 
Paul  begins  this  verse  with  for.  '  We  are  treated  as  sinners  for  the 
cffence  of  Adam, /or  we  are  regarded  as  sinners  on  his  account,'  &c.  &c. 
Though  the  one  idea  seems  thus  to  be  the  more  prominent  in  v.  18,  and 


132  ROMANS  5:  12—21 

the  other  in  v.  19,  yet  it  is  only  a  greater  degree  of  prominency  to  the 
one,  and  not  the  exclusion  of  the  other,  that  is  in  either  case  intended. 

By  one  rami's  disobedience.  The  disobedience  here  is  evidently  the 
first  transgression  of  Adam,  spoken  of  in  v.  16,  as  the  one  offence.  The 
obedience  of  Christ  here  stands  for  all  his  work  in  satisfying  the  demands 
of  the  law  ;  his  obedience  unto  and  in  death  ;  that  by  which  the  law  was 
magnified  and  rendered  honourable,  as  well  as  satisfied.  From  its  oppo- 
sition to  the  disobedience  of  Adam,  his  obedience,  strictly  speaking, 
rather  than  his  sufferings,  seems  to  be  the  prominent  idea.  The  words 
the  many^  in  both  clauses  of  this  verse,  are  obviously  equivalent  to  the 
all  of  the  corresponding  clauses  of  v.  18,  and  are  to  be  explained  in  the 
same  manner. 

With  regard  to  the  first  clause  of  this  verse,  we  meet  again  the  three 
interpretations  to  which  reference  has  so  frequently  been  made.  That 
the  disobedience  of  Adam  was  the  occasion  of  men's  becoming  sinners. 
That  through  that  disobedience  all  men  were  corrupted,  that  is,  that 
they  have  derived  a  corrupt  nature  from  Adam,  which  is  the  immediate 
ground  of  their  suffering  penal  evils.  That  it  is  on  account  of  his  dis- 
obedience they  are  regarded  and  treated  as  sinners.  With  increasing 
clearness  it  may  be  made  to  appear  that  here,  as  elsewhere  throughout 
the  passage,  the  last  is  the  apostle's  doctrine. 

1.  It  is  in  accordance  with  one  of  the  most  familiar  of  scriptural 
usages,  that  the  words  to  make  sinners,  are  interpreted  as  meaning,  to 
regard  and  treat  as  such.  Thus,  to  make  clean,  to  make  unclean,  to 
make  righteous,  to  make  guilty,  are  the  constant  scriptural  expressions 
for  regarding  and  treating  as  clean,  unclean,  righteous,  or  unrighteous  ; 
see  on  v.  12. 

2.  The  expressions  to  make  sin,  and  to  make  righteousness,  occurring 
in  a  corresponding  sense,  illustrate  and  confirm  this  interpretation.  Thus 
in  2  Cor.  5:21,  Christ  is  said  to  be  "made  sin,"  i.  e.  regarded  and 
treated  as  a  sinner,  "that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in 
him,"  i.  e.  that  we  might  be  regarded  and  treated  as  righteous  in  the 
sight  of  God,  on  his  account.  3.  The  antithesis  is  here  so  plain  as  to  be 
of  itself  decisive.  "  To  be  made  righteous"  is,  according  to  Professor 
Stuart,  "to  be  justified,  pardoned,  regarded  and  treated  as  righteous." 
With  what  show  of  consistency,  then,  can  it  be  denied  that  "  to  be  made 
sinners,"  in  the  opposite  clause,  means  to  be  regarded  and  treated  as  sin- 
ners 1  If  one  part  of  the  verse  speaks  of  justification,  the  other  must  speak 
of  condemnation.  4.  As  so  often  before  remarked,  the  analogy  between 
the  case  of  Adam  and  Christ  requires  this  interpretation.  If  the  first 
clause  means  either  that  the  disobedience  of  Adam  was  the  occasion  of 
our  committing  sin,  or  that  it  was  the  cause  of  our  becoming  inherently 
corrupt,  and  on  the  ground  of  <hese  sins,  or  of  this  corruption,  being  con- 
demned ;  then  must  the  other  clause  mean  that  the  obedience  of  Christ 
is  the  cause  of  our  becoming  holy,  or  performing  good  works  on  the 
ground  of  which  we  are  justified.     But  this  confessedly  is  not  the  mean- 


ROMANS  5:  12—21.  133 

ing  of  the  apostle.  If  then  the  same  words,  in  the  same  connexion,  and 
the  same  grammatical  construction,  must  have  the  same  meaning,  the 
interpretation  given  above  must  be  correct.  5.  The  design  of  the  apos- 
tle to  illustrate  the  great  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  that  men,  although  in 
themselves  ungodly,  are  regarded  and  treated  as  righteous  for  Christ's 
sadve,  demands  this  interpretation. 

The  meaning  then  of  the  whole  passage  is  this :  by  one  man  sin  en- 
tered into  the  world,  or  men  were  brought  to  stand  in  the  relation  of  sin- 
ners to  God ;  death  consequently  passed  on  all,  because,  for  the  offence 
of  that  one  man,  they  all  became  sinners  (guilty),  i.  e.  were  all  regarded 
and  treated  as  sinners.  That  this  is  really  the  case  is  plain  ;  because 
the  execution  of  the  penalty  of  a  law  cannot  be  more  extensive  than  its 
violation ;  and  consequently  if  all  are  subject  to  penal  evils,  all  are  re- 
garded as  sinners  in  the  sight  of  God.  This  universality  in  the  infliction 
of  penal  evil  cannot  be  accounted  for  on  the  ground  of  the  violation  of 
the  law  of  Moses,  since  men  were  subject  to  such  evil  before  that  law 
was  given ;  nor  yet  on  account  of  the  violation  of  the  more  general  law 
written  on  the  heart,  since  even  they  are  subject  to  this  evil  who  have 
never  personally  sinned  at  all.  "We  must  conclude,  therefore,  that  men 
are  regarded  and  treated  as  sinners  on  account  of  the  sin  of  Adam. 

He  is,  therefore,  a  type  of  Christ.  The  cases,  however,  are  not  en- 
tirely analogous ;  for  if  it  is  consistent  with  the  divine  character  that  we 
should  suffer  for  what  Adam  did,  how  much  more  may  we  expect  to  be 
made  happy  for  what  Christ  has  done.  Besides,  we  are  condemned  for 
one  sin  only  on  Adam's  account;  whereas  Christ  saves  us  not  only  from 
the  evils  consequent  on  that  transgression,  but  also  from  the  punishment 
of  our  own  innumerable  offences.  Now  if,  for  the  offence  of  one,  death 
thus  triumphs  over  all,  how  much  more  shall  they  who  receive  the  grace 
of  the  gospel  (not  only  be  save«l  from  evil,  but)  reign  in  life  through 
Christ  Jesus. 

"Wherefore,  as,  on  account  of  one,  the  condemnatory  sentence  has 
passed  on  all  the  descendants  of  Adam  ;  so  on  account  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  one,  gratuitous  justification  comes  on  all  who  receive  the  grace 
of  Christ;  for  as  on  account  of  the  disobedience  of  one,  we  are  regarded 
as  sinners  ;  so  on  account  of  the  obedience  of  the  other,  we  are  regarded 
as  righteous. 

(20)  Moreover  the  law  entered  that  the  offence  might  abound^  &c. 
Paul,  having  shown  that  our  justification  was  effected  without  the  inter- 
vention of  either  the  moral  or  Mosaic  law,  was  naturally  led  to  state  the 
design  and  result  of  the  renewed  revelation  of  the  one,  and  the  superin- 
duction  of  the  other.  The  law  stands  here  for  the  whole  of  the  Old 
Testament  economy,  including  the  clear  revelation  of  the  moral  law,  and 
all  the  institutions  connected  with  the  former  dispensation.  The  main 
design  and  result  of  this  dispensation,  considered  as  law^  that  is,  apart 
from  the  evangelical  import  of  many  of  its  parts,  was  that  sin  or  offence 
might  abound.     There  is  an  ambiguity  here  in  the  original,  which  does 

M 


134  ROMANS  5:  12—21. 

not  exist  in  our  version.  The  Greek  may  mean  either  that  the  design  of 
the  introduction  of  the  law  was  that  sin  might  abound  ;  or,  simply,  that 
such  was  the  result.  Which  idea  is  to  be  preferred  depends  on  the  view 
taken  of  the  word  rendered  abound.  This  word  may,  according  to  a  very 
common  usage,  mean,  to  appear,  or  he  seen  as  abounding ;  see  ch.  4:  5, 
*'  Let  God  be  true,"  i.  e.  let  it  be  seen  and  acknowledged  that  he  is  true. 
Agreeably  to  this  view,  the  meaning  of  the  clause  is,  that  the  great  de- 
sio-n  of  the  law  (in  reference  to  justification)  is  to  produce  the  knowledge 
and  conviction  of  sin.  Taking  the- word  in  its  usual  sense,  the  meaning 
is,  the  result  of  the  introduction  of  the  law  was  the  increase  of  sin. 
This  result  is  to  be  attributed  partly  to  the  fact  that  by  enlarging  the 
knowledge  of  the  rule  of  duty,  responsibility  was  proportionably  in- 
creased, according  to  ch.  4  :  15;  and  partly  to  the  consideration  that  the 
enmity  of  the  heart  is  awakened  by  its  operation  and  transgressions  ac- 
tually multiplied,  agreeably  to  ch.  7  :  8.  Both  views  of  the  passage 
express  an  important  truth,  as  the  conviction  of  sin  and  its  incidental  in- 
crease are  alike  the  result  of  the  operation  of  the  law.  It  seems,  how- 
ever, more  in  accordance  with  the  apostle's  object,  and  with  the  general, 
although  not  uniform,  force  of  the  particle  rendered  that,  to  consider  the 
clause  as  expressing  the  design,  rather  than  the  result,  simply,  of  the 
giving  of  the  law. 

The  word  entered  is  hardly  an  adequate  translation  of  the  original 
term.  The  latter  expresses,  in  Gal.  2  :  4,  the  idea  of  surreptitious  en- 
trance,  and  here  probably  that  of  superinduction.  The  law  was  super- 
induced on  a  plan  already  laid.  It  was  not  designed  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  man's  salvation,  that  is,  either  for  his  justification  or  sanctifica- 
tion,  but  for  the  accomplishment  of  a  very  subordinate  part  in  the  great 
scheme  of  mercy.  The  Jews,  therefore,  erred  greatly,  both  by  over- 
estimating its  importance  and  mistaki«g  its  design.  It  was  never  in- 
tended to  give  life. 

But  where  sin  abounded,  grace  did  much  more  abound.  That  is, 
great  as  is  the  prevalence  of  sin,  as  seen  and  felt  in  the  light  of  God's 
holy  law,  yet  over  all  this  evil  the  grace  of  the  gospel  has  abounded. 
The  gospel  or  the  grace  of  God  has  proved  itself  much  more  efficacious 
in  the  production  of  good,  than  sin  in  the  production  of  evil.  This  idea 
is  illustrated  in  the  following  verse. 

(21)  That  as  sin  hath  reigned  unto  death,  k,c..  That  is,  as  sin  has 
powerfully  prevailed,  and  is  followed  by  death  as  its  necessary  conse- 
quence. The  word  reigned  expresses  strongly  the  extended  authority 
and  power  of  sin  over  the  human  family ;  a  power  which  is  deadly, 
destructive  of  all  excellence  and  happiness. 

Even  so  might  grace  reign  through  righteousness  unto  eternal  life, 
by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  The  words  "  righteousness  unto  eternal  life" 
should  not  be  separated  by  a  comma,  as  is  commonly  done  in  our  Bibles. 
And  the  word  translated  righteousness  should  be  rendered  justification, 
as  appears  by  a  comparison  with  the  preceding  verses.     "  Justification 


ROMANS  5:  12—21.  135 

unto  eternal  life"  is  the  same  with  the  "justification  of  life"  in  v.  18; 
both  expressions  mean  '  that  justification  which  is  connected  with  eter- 
nal life.'  It  will  be  remarked  that  these  words  answer  to  the  death 
spoken  of  in  the  preceding  clause.  As  death  is  the  consequence  and 
attendant  of  sin,  so  the  justification  of  life  is  the  consequence  and  at- 
tendant of  the  grace  of  the  gospel. 

By  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  To  him,  and  him  alone,  do  we  owe  it 
that  the  reign  of  sin  and  death  has  not  produced  universal  and  perpetual 
desolation.  He  has  brought  deliverance  from  both,  and  introductioQ 
into  eternal  life. 

'  Grace  much  more  abounds  than  sin,'  1.  Because  we  have  reason  to 
believe,  taking  into  view  those  who  die  in  infancy,  and  the  probable  fu- 
ture state  of  the  church,  that  the  number  of  the  saved  will  greatly  exceed 
that  of  the  lost.  2.  Because  Christ  does  far  more  than  merely  repair 
the  evils  of  sin.  He  not  only  delivers  us  from  its  power  and  penalty, 
but  exalts  our  natures  and  persons  to  a  state  to  which  we  have  no  reason 
to  suppose  they  would  otherwise  ever  have  attained.  3.  Through  the 
redeemed  church  is  to  be  manifested,  in  ages  to  come,  to  principalities 
and  powers,  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God.  The  results  of  redemption 
no  tongue  can  tell,  no  heart  conceive. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  The  doctrine  of  imputation  is  clearly  taught  in  this  passage.  This 
doctrine  does  not  include  the  idea  of  a  mysterious  identity  of  Adam  and 
his  race ;  nor  that  of  a  transfer  of  the  moral  turpitude  of  his  sin  to  his 
descendants.  It  does  not  teach  that  his  offence  was  personally  or  pro- 
perly the  sin  of  all  men,  or  that  his  act  was,  in  any  mysterious  sense, 
the  act  of  his  posterity.  Neither  does  it  imply,  in  reference  to  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ,  that  his  righteousness  becomes  personally  and  inhe- 
rently ours,  or  that  his  moral  excellence  is  in  any  way  transferred  from 
him  to  believers.  The  sin  of  Adam,  therefore,  is  no  ground  to  us  of  re- 
morse ;  and  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  no  ground  of  self-complacency 
in  those  to  whom  it  is  imputed.  This  doctrine  merely  teaches  that,  in 
virtue  of  the  union,  representative  and  natural,  between  Adam  and  his 
posterity,  his  sin  is  the  ground  of  their  condemnation,  that  is,  of  their 
subjection  to  penal  evils  ;  and  that,  in  virtue  of  the  union  between  Christ 
and  his  people,  his  righteousness  is  the  ground  of  their  justification. 
This  doctrine  is  taught,  almost  in  so  many  words,  in  vs.  12,  15,  16,  17, 
18,  19.  It  is  so  clearly  stated,  so  often  repeated  or  assumed,  and  so  for- 
mally proved,  that  very  few  commentators,  of  any  class,  fail  to  acknow- 
ledge, in  one  form  or  another,  that  it  is  the  doctrine  of  the  apostle. 

2.  As  the  term  death  is  used  for  any  and  every  evil  judicially  inflicted 
as  the  punishment  of  sin,  the  amount  and  nature  of  the  evil  not  being 
expressed  by  the  word,  it  is  no  part  of  the  apostle's  doctrine  that  eternal 
misery  is  inflicted  on  any  man  for  the  sin  of  Adam,  irrespective  of  inhe- 
rent depravity  or  actual  transgression.     It  is  enough  for  all  the  purposes 


136  ROMANS   5:  12—21. 

of  his  argument  that  that  sin  was  the  ground  of  the  loss  of  the  divine 
favour,  the  withholding  of  divine  influence,  and  the  consequent  corrup- 
tion of  our  nature. 

3.  Whatever  evil  the  Scriptures  represent  as  coming  upon  us  on  ac- 
count of  Adam,  they  regard  as  penal;  they  call  it  death,  which  is  the 
general  term  by  which  any  penal  evil  is  expressed. 

It  is  not,  however,  the  doctrine  of  the  Scriptures,  nor  of  the  reformed 
churches,  nor  of  our  standards,  that  the  corruption  of  nature  of  which 
they  speak  is  any  depravation  of  the  soul,  or  an  essential  attribute,  or 
the  infusion  of  any  positive  evil.  "  Original  sin,"  as  the  Confessions  of 
the  Reformers  maintain,  "  is  not  the  substance  of  man,  neither  his  soul, 
nor  body ;  nor  is  it  any  thing  infused  into  his  nature  by  Satan,  as  poison 
is  mixed  with  wine ;  it  is  not  an  essential  attribute,  but  an  accident,  i.  e. 
something  which  does  not  exist  of  itself,  an  incidental  quality,"  &c. 
Bretschneider,  Vol.  II.  p.  30.  These  confessions  teach  that  original 
righteousness,  as  a  punishment  of  Adam's  sin,  was  lost,  and  by  that  de- 
fect the  tendency  to  sin,  or  corrupt  disposition,  or  corruption  of  nature, 
is  occasioned.  Though  they  speak  of  original  sin  as  being,  first,  nega- 
tive, i.  e.  the  loss  of  righteousness  ;  and,  secondly,  positive,  or  corruption 
of  nature ;  yet  by  the  latter,  they  state,  is  to  be  understood,  not  the  in- 
fusion of  any  thing  in  itself  sinful,  but  an  actual  tendency  or  disposition 
to  evil,  resulting  from  the  loss  of  righteousness.  This  is  clearly  ex- 
pressed in  the  quotation  just  made.  "  There  is  no  necessity,"  says 
Goodwin,  "  of  asserting  original  sin  to  be  a  positive  quality  in  our  souls, 
since  the  privation  of  righteousness  is  enough  to  infect  the  soul  with  all 
that  is  evil."  Yet  he,  in  common  with  the  reformers,  represents  origi- 
nal sin  as  having  a  positive  as  well  as  a  negative  side.  This,  however, 
results  from  the  active  nature  of  the  soul.  If  there  is  no  tendency  to 
the  love  and  service  of  God,  there  is,  from  this  very  defect,  a  tendency  to 
self  and  sin. 

4.  It  is  included  in  the  doctrines  already  stated,  that  mankind  have 
had  a  fair  probation  in  Adam,  their  head  and  representative ;  and  that 
we  are  not  to  consider  God  as  placing  them  on  their  probation  in  the 
very  first  dawn  of  their  intellectual  and  moral  existence,  and  under  cir- 
cumstances (or  "•  a  divine  constitution")  which  secure  the  certainly  of 
their  sinning.     Such  a  probation  could  hardly  deserve  the  name. 

5.  It  is  also  included  in  the  doctrine  of  this  portion  of  Scripture,  that 
mankind  is  an  unit,  in  the  sense  in  which  an  army,  in  distinction  from  a 
mob,  is  one  ;  or  as  a  nation,  a  community,  or  a  family,  is  one,  in  opposition 
to  a  mere  fortuitous  collection  of  individuals.  Hence  the  frequent  and  ex- 
tensive transfer  of  the  responsibility  and  consequences  of  the  acts  of  the 
heads  of  these  communities  to  their  several  members,  and  from  one  member 
to  others.  This  is  a  law  which  pervades  the  whole  moral  government  and 
providential  dispensations  of  God.  We  are  not  like  the  separate  grains 
of  wheat  in  a  measure;  but  links  in  a  complicated  chain.  All  influence 
the  destiny  of  each;  and  each  influences  the  destiny  of  all. 


ROMANS  5:  12—21.  137 

6.  The  design  of  the  apostle  being  to  illustrate  the  nature  and  to  con- 
firm the  certainty  of  our  justification,  it  is  the  leading  doctrine  of  this 
passage,  that  our  acceptance  with  God  is,  founded  neither  on  our  faith 
nor  our  good  works,  but  on  the  obedience  or  righteousness  of  Christ, 
which  to  us  is  a  free  gift.  This  is  the  fundamental  doctrine  of  the  gos- 
pel, vs.  18,  19. 

7.  The  dreadful  evil  of  sin  is  best  seen  in  the  fall  of  Adam,  and  in  the 
cross  of  Christ.  By  the  one  offence  of  one  man  what  a  waste  of  ruin 
has  been  spread  over  the  whole  world  !  How  far  beyond  conception  the 
misery  that  one  act  occasioned  !  There  was  no  adequate  remedy  for  this 
evil  but  the  death  of  the  Son  of  God,  vs.  12,  15,  16,  &c. 

8.  It  is  the  prerogative  of  God  to  bring  good  out  of  evil,  and  to  make 
the  good  triumph  over  the  evil.  From  the  fall  has  sprung  redemption, 
and  from  redemption  results  which  eternity  alone  can  disclose,  vs.  20,  21. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Every  man  should  bow  down  before  God  under  the  humiliating 
consciousness  that  he  is  a  member  of  an  apostate  race ;  the  son  of  a  re- 
bellious parent;  born  estranged  from  God,  and  exposed  to  his  displea- 
sure, vs.  12,  15,  16,  &c. 

2.  Every  man  should  thankfully  embrace  the  means  provided  for  his 
restoration  to  the  divine  favour,  viz.  "  the  abundance  of  grace  and  gift  of 
righteousness,"  v.  17. 

3.  Those  that  perish,  perish  not  because  the  sin  of  Adam  has  brought 
them  under  condemnation;  nor  because  no  adequate  provision  has  been 
made  for  their  recovery ;  but  because  they  will  not  receive  the  offered 
mercy,  v.  17. 

4.  For  those  who  refuse  the  proffered  righteousness  of  Christ,  and  in- 
sist on  trusting  to  their  own  righteousness,  the  evil  of  sin,  and  God's 
determination  to  punish  it,  show  there  can  be  no  reasonable  hope;  while, 
for  those  who  humbly  receive  this  gift,  there  can  be  no  rational  ground 
of  fear,  v.  15. 

5.  If,  without  personal  participation  in  the  sin  of  Adam,  all  men  are 
subject  to  death,  may  we  not  hope  that,  without  personal  acceptance  of 
the  righteousness  of  Christ,  all  who  die  in  infancy  are  saved  1 

6.  We  should  never  yield  to  temptation  on  the  ground  that  the  sin  to 
which  we  are  solicited  appears  to  be  a  trifle  (merely  eating  a  forbidden 
fruit) ;  or  that  it  is  but  for  once.  Remember  the  one  offence  of  one 
man.  How  often  has  a  man,  or  a  family,  been  ruined  for  ever  by  one 
sin  !  V.  12. 

7.  Our  dependence  on  Jesus  Christ  is  entire,  and  our  obligations  to 
him  are  infinite.  It  is  through  his  righteousness,  without  the  shadow  of 
merit  on  our  own  part,  that  we  are  justified.  He  alone  was  adequate  to 
restore  the  ruins  of  the  fall.  From  those  ruins  he  has  built  up  a  living 
temple,  a  habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit. 

8.  We  must  experience  the  operation  of  the  law,  in  producing  the 

m2 


138  ROMANS  6:  1—11. 

knowledge  and  conviction  of  sin,  in  order  to  be  prepared  for  the  appre- 
ciation and  reception  of  the  work  of  Christ.  The  church  and  the  world 
were  prepared  by  the  legal  dispensation  of  the  Old  Testament  for  the 
gracious  dispensation  of  the  New,  v.  20. 

9.  We  should  open  our  hearts  to  the  large  prospects  of  purity  and  bless- 
edness presented  in  the  gospel ;  the  victory  of  grace  over  sin  and  death, 
which  is  to  be  consummated  in  the  triumph  of  true  religion,  and  in  the 
eternal  salvation  of  those  multitudes,  out  of  every  tribe  and  kindred, 
which  no  man  can  number,  v.  21. 


CHAPTER  VL 

CONTENTS. 

As  the  gospel  reveals  the  only  effectual  method  of  justification,  so  also 
it  alone  can  secure  the  sanctification  of  men.  To  exhibit  this  truth  is  the 
object  of  this  and  the  following  chapter.  The  sixth  is  partly  argumenta- 
tive, and  partly  exhortatory.  In  verses  1 — 11  the  apostle  shows  how 
unfounded  is  the  objection,  that  gratuitous  justification  leads  to  the  in- 
dulgence of  sin.  In  vs.  12 — 23  he  exhorts  Christians  to  live  agreeably 
to  the  nature  and  design  of  the  gospel ;  and  presents  various  considera- 
tions adapted  to  secure  their  obedience  to  this  exhortation. 

CHAP.  6:  1—11. 

*What  shall  we  say  then  1  Shall  we  continue  in  sin,  that  grace  may 
abound  ?  ^God  forbid.  How  shall  we,  that  are  dead  to  sin,  live  any 
longer  therein  1  ^Know  ye  not,  that  so  many  of  us  as  were  baptized  into 
Jesus  Christ  were  baptized  into  his  death?  ^Therefore  we  are  buried 
with  him  by  baptism  into  death  :  that  like  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from 
the  dead  by  the  glory  of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also  should  walk  in 
newness  of  life.  ^For  if  we  have  been  planted  together  in  the  likeness 
of  his  death,  we  shall  be  also  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection  :  ^know- 
ing  this,  that  our  old  man  is  crucified  with  ?iim,  that  the  body  of  sin 
might  be  destroyed,  and  that  henceforth  we  should  not  serve  sin.  ''For 
he  that  is  dead  is  freed  from  sin.  ^Now  if  we  be  dead  with  Christ,  we 
believe  that  we  shall  also  live  with  him :  ^knowing  that  Christ  being 
raised  from  the  dead  dieth  no  more ;  death  hath  no  more  dominion  over 
him.  i°For  in  that  he  died,  he  died  unto  sin  once  :  but  in  that  he  liveth, 
he  liveth  unto  God.  ^^^Likewise  reckon  ye  also  yourselves  to  be  dead 
indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive  unto  G6d  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

ANALYSIS. 

The  most  common,  the  most  plausible,  and  yet  the  most  unfounded 
objection  to  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith,  is,  that  it  allows  men  to 


ROMANS  6:  1—11.  139 

live  in  sin  that  grace  may  abound.  This  objection  arises  from  ignorance 
of  the  doctrine  in  question,  and  of  the  nature  and  means  of  sanclification. 
It  is  so  preposterous  in  the  eyes  of  an  enlightened  believer,  that  Paul 
deals  with  it  rather  by  exclamations  at  its  absurdity,  than  with  logical 
arguments.  The  main  idea  of  this  section  is,  that  such  is  the  nature  of 
the  believer's  union  with  Christ,  that  his  living  in  sin  is  not  merely  an 
inconsistency,  but  a  contradiction  in  terms,  as  much  so  as  speaking  of  a 
live  dead  man,  or  a  good  bad  one.  Union  with  Christ,  being  the  only 
source  of  holiness,  cannot  be  the  source  of  sin.  In  v.  1  the  apostle  pre- 
sents the  objection.  In  v.  2  he  declares  it  to  be  unfounded,  and  exclaims 
at  its  absurdity.  In  vs.  3,  4  he  exhibits  the  true  nature  and  design  of 
Christianity,  as  adapted  and  intended  to  produce  newness  of  life.  In 
vs.  5 — 7  he  shows  that  such  is  the  nature  of  union  with  Christ,  that  it 
is  impossible  for  any  one  to  share  the  benefits  of  his  death  without  being 
conformed  to  his  life.  Such  being  the  case,  he  shows,  vs.  8 — 11,  that 
as  Christ's  death  on  account  of  sin  \vas  for  once,  never  to  be  repeated ; 
and  his  life  a  life  devoted  to  God  ;  so  our  separation  from  sin  is  final, 
and  our  life  a  life  consecrated  to  God. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1)  What  shall  we  say  then?  "What  inference  is  to  be  drawn  from 
the  doctrine  of  the  gratuitous  acceptance  of  sinners,  or  justification  with- 
out works  by  faith  in  the  righteousness  of  Christ  ? 

Shall  we  continue  in  sin  that  grace  may  abound  P  i.  e.  be  more  con- 
spicuously displayed.  The  form  in  which  the  objection  to  the  apostle's 
doctrine  is  here  presented,  is  evidently  borrowed  from  the  close  of  the 
preceding  chapter.  Paul  had  there  spoken  of  the  grace  of  the  gospel 
being  the  more  conspicuous  and  abundant  in  proportion  to  the  evils  which 
it  removes.  It  is  no  fair  inference  from  the  fact  that  God  has  brought  so 
much  good  out  of  the  fall  and  sinfulness  of  men,  that  they  may  continue 
in  sin.  Neither  can  it  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  he  accepts  of  sin- 
ners, on  the  ground  of  the  merit  of  Christ,  instead  of  their  own  (which 
is  the  way  in  which  grace  abounds),  that  they  may  sin  without  restraint. 

(2)  God  forbid,  in  the  Greek,  let  it  not  be,  Paul's  usual  mode  of 
expressing  denial  and  abhorrence.  Such  an  inference  is  not  to  be  thought 
of.  How  shall  we,  that  are  dead  to  sin,  live  any  longer  therein?  How 
can  good  men  be  bad  men  1  or,  how  can  the  dead  be  alive  1  It  is  a  con- 
tradiction and  an  absurdity,  that  those  who  are  dead  to  sin  should  live  in 
it.  There  are  two  points  to  be  here  considered.  The  first  is  the  sense 
in  which  Christians  are  said  to  be  dead  to  sin  ;  and  the  second,  the  proof 
(vs.  3,  4)  that  such  is  really  the  case  with  all  true  believers.  The  words 
rendered  ive  that  are  dead  to  sin  (we  that  have  died  to  die),  may  mean 
have  died  on  account  of  sin,  or  in  respect  to  sin.  The  latter  is  more  con- 
sistent with  the  usual  force  of  the  expression,  as  in  the  phrases,  "  dead 
to  the  law;"  "  dead  to  sins,"  &c.  &c.,  which  mean  free  from,  delivered 
from  the  influence  of.    In  this  case  probably  the  apostle  intended  to 


140  ROMANS  6:  1—11. 

express  the  general  idea  that  our  connexion  with  sin  had  heen  effectually 
broken  off.  This  is  effected,  as  he  immediately  teaches,  by  the  death  of 
Christ.  His  meaning,  therefore,  is,  '  How  can  those  who,  in  virtue  of 
their  union  with  Christ,  have  been  effectually  freed  from  the  dominion 
of  sin,  live  any  longer  therein  V  It  enters  into  the  very  idea  of  a  Chris- 
tian that  he  should  be  thus  dead  to  sin,  and  his  living  in  it  consequently 
involves  a  contradiction. 

(3)  Knoiv  ye  not  that  so  many  of  us  as  were  baptized  into- Jesus 
Christ,  were  baptized  into  his  death  ?  In  this  and  the  following  verse 
we  have  something  more  in  the  form  of  argument  in  answer  to  the  objec- 
tion in  question.  The  apostle  reminds  his  readers  that  the  very  design 
of  Christianity  was  to  deliver  men  from  sin ;  that  every  one  who  em- 
braced it,  embraced  it  for  this  very  object;  and,  therefore,  it  was  a  con- 
tradiction in  terms  to  suppose  that  any  should  come  to  Christ  to  be  de- 
livered from  sin  in  order  that  they  might  live  in  it.  And,  besides  this, 
it  is  clearly  intimated  that  such  is  not  only  the  design  of  the  gospel,  and 
the  object  for  which  it  is  embraced  by  all  who  cordially  receive  it,  but 
also  that  the  result  or  necessary  effect  of  union  with  Christ  is  a  partici- 
pation in  the  benefits  of  his  death. 

Were  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ.  In  the  phrase  to  be  baptized  into 
any  one,  the  word  rendered  i^ito  has  its  usual  force  as  indicating  the  ob- 
ject, design,  or  result  for  which  any  thing  is  done.  To  be  baptized  into 
Jesus  Christ,  or  unto  Moses,  or  Paul,  therefore,  means  to  be  baptized  in 
order  to  be  united  to  Christ,  or  Moses,  or  Paul,  as  their  followers,  the 
recipients  of  their  doctrines,  and  expectants  of  the  blessings  which,  they 
have  to  bestow ;  see  Matt.  28  :  19.  1  Cor.  10  :  2.  1  Cor.  1  :  13.  In  like 
manner,  in  the  expression  baptized  into  his  death,  the  preposition  ex- 
presses the  design  and  the  result.  The  meaning,  therefore,  is,  '  we  were 
baptized  in  order  that  we  should  die  with  him,'  i.  e.  that  we  should  be 
united  to  him  in  his  death,  and  partakers  of  its  benefits.  Thus  "  bap- 
tism unto  repentance,"  Matt.  3  :  11,  is  baptism  in  order  to  repentance; 
"baptism  unto  the  remission  of  sins,"  Mark  1 :  4,  that  remission  of  sins 
may  be  obtained  ;  "  baptized  into  one  body,"  1  Cor.  12 :  13,  i.  e.  that 
we  might  become  one  body,  &c.  The  idea  of  the  whole  verse,  there- 
fore, is,  '  That  as  many  as  have  been  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ,  have 
become  intimately  united  with  him,  so  that  they  are  united  with  him  in  his 
death,  conformed  to  its  object,  and  participate  in  the  blessings  for  which 
he  died.'  Much  to  the  same  effect  the  apostle  says,  Gal.  3:  27,  "As 
many  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ,  have  put  on  Christ,"  i.e.  have 
become  intimately  united  to  him.  Paul  uses  the  expression  baptizedinto 
Christ,  not  for  the  mere  external  or  formal  profession  of  the  religion  of 
the  gospel,  but  for  the  cordial  reception  of  it,  of  which  submission  to  the 
rite  of  baptism  was  the  public  and  appointed  expression.  The  meaning, 
therefore,  is,  that  those  who  have  sincerely  embraced  Jesus  Christ,  have 
done  it  so  as  to  be  united  to  him,  conformed  to  his  image  and  the  design 
for  which  he  died,     Christ  died  in  order  that  he  might  destroy  the  works 


ROMANS  6:  1—11.  141 

of  the  devil,  1  John  3:8;  to  save  his  people  from  their  sins,  and  to  pu- 
rify to  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works,  Tit.  2  :  14. 

(4)  Therefore  ive  are  buried  by  baptism  into  death,  that  like  as  Christ 
was  raised  up,  &c.  '  Such  being  the  nature  and  design  of  the  gospel, 
if  we  accept  of  Christ  at  all,  it  is  that  we  should  die  with  him ;  i.  e.  that 
we  should  attain  the  object  for  which  he  died,  viz.  deliverance  from  sin  ;* 
or,  to  use  the  apostle's  figurative  expression,  that  as  Christ  was  raised 
from  the  dead,  we  also  might  walk  in  newness  of  life. 

The  words  into  death  are  evidently  to  be  connected  with  the  word 
baptism  ;  it  is  by  a  baptism  unto  death  that  we  are  united  to  Christ,  as 
stated  in  the  preceding  verse.  We  are  said  to  be  buried  with  Christ ; 
i.  e.  we  are  effectually  united  to  him  in  his  death.  The  same  idea  is  ex- 
pressed in  V.  8,  by  saying  "  we  are  dead  with  him ;"  and  in  v.  5,  by 
saying  we  are  "  planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death."  It  does 
not  seem  necessary  to  suppose  that  there  is  any  allusion  to  the  mode  of 
baptism,  as  though  that  rite  was  compared  to  a  burial.  No  such  allu- 
sion can  be  supposed  in  the  next  verse,  where  we  are  said  to  be  planted 
with  him.  Baptism  is,  throughout  this  passage,  as  in  Gal.  3  :  27,  taken 
for  the  reception  of  Christ,  of  which  it  is  the  appointed  acknowledg- 
ment. The  point  of  the  comparison  is  not  between  our  baptism  and  the 
burial  and  resurrection  of  Christ ;  but  between  our  death  to  sin  and  rising 
to  holiness ;  and  the  death  and  resurrection  of  the  Redeemer.  As  Paul 
had  expressed,  in  v.  2,  the  idea  of  the  freedom  of  believers  from  sin,  by 
the  figurative  phrase  "  dead  to  sin,"  he  carries  the  figure  consistently 
through  ;  and  says,  that  by  our  reception  of  Christ  we  became  united  to 
him  in  such  a  way  as  to  die  as  he  died,  and  to  rise  as  he  rose.  As  he 
died  unto  sin  (for  its  destruction),  so  do  we ;  and  as  he  rose  unto  new- 
ness of  life,  so  do  we. 

Christ  is  said  to  have  been  raised  up  by  the  glory  of  the  Father.  Some 
would  render  these  words  on  account  of  the  glory,  &c.  But  this  is  in- 
consistent with  usage.  They  either  are  equivalent  to  glorious  Father, 
see  eh.  1 :  23,  25 ;  or  the  word  rendered  glory  may  be  used  for  power  or 
might,  as  in  the  Septuagint,  Isa.  12:  2.  45:  24.  Compare  Col.  1  :  11. 
Even  so  loe  also  should  walk  in  newness  of  life.  These  words  express 
the  design  for  which  we  receive  Christ  or  were  baptized  unto  him  ;  it  is 
that  we  should  exhibit  that  new  life  which  we  receive  from  him,  and 
which  is  analogous  to  his  own,  inasmuch  as  it  is  unending  and  devoted 
unto  God ;  see  vs.  9,  10,  where  this  idea  is  more  fully  expressed. 

(5)  For  if  we  have  been  planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death, 
&c.  As  the  preceding  verse  had  declared  the  object  of  our  union  with 
Christ  to  be  newness  of  life;  this  verse  exhibits  the  necessary  connex- 
ion between  the  means  and  the  end,  by  showing  that  we  cannot  be  united 
to  Christ  in  his  death,  without  being  united  to  him  also  in  his  resurrec- 
tion. 

For  if  we  have  been  planted  together.  The  original  word  here  used 
means  properly  connate,  born  together;  but  it  is  applied  variously  to 


142  ROMANS  6:  1—11. 

things  intimately  united,  as  thing's  g:rowing  together,  to  branches  of  the 
same  tree,  limbs  of  the  same  body,  &c.  &c.  The  idea,  therefore,  here 
expressed  by  it,  is  an  intimate  and  vital  union  with  Christ,  such  as  exists 
between  a  vine  and  its  branches.     Compare  John  15  :  1 — 8. 

In  the  likeness  of  his  death,-  i.  e.  in  a  death  similar  to  his.  We  die 
as  he  died.  This  results  from  the  fact  of  our  intimate  union  with  him. 
Hence,  in  v.  6,  we  are  said  "  to  be  crucified  with  him ;"  and,  in  v.  8, 
"to  be  dead  with  him."  If  we  are  so  united  to  Christ  as  to  die  with 
him  (i.  e.  to  obtain  the  benefits  of  his  death),  we  also  die  as  he  died. 
This  accounts  for  the  introduction  of  the  word  likeness,  expressive  of  a 
comparison  between  our  death  to  sin  and  the  death  of  Christ.  But  we 
experience  this  similar  or  spiritual  death  only  because  of  the  union  with 
Christ,  in  virtue  of  which  his  death  was,  in  the  sight  of  God,  equivalent 
to  our  death. 

IVe  shall  be  also  in  the  likeness  of  Ms  resurrection.  The  future  tense, 
shall,  does  not  here  express  obligation  merely,  but  also  and  mainly  the 
certainty  of  the  result.  'If  united  to  Christ  in  his  death,  we  shall  be 
also  in  his  resurrection.  That  is,  we  shall  experience  a  resurrection 
similar  to  his,  viz.  an  entrance  on  a  new,  glorious,  and  perpetual  life.' 
That  a  spiritual  resurrection  is  here  principally  intended,  seems  very 
plain,  both  from  the  preceding  and  succeeding  context.  And  yet  the  idea 
of  the  future  resurrection  of  the  body  is  not  to  be  entirely  excluded. 
Paul,  in  ch.  8 :  11,  brings  the  resurrection  of  the  body  forward  as  a  ne- 
cessary consequence  of  our  union  with  Christ,  or  of  our  having  the  Spirit 
of  life  dwelling  in  us.  The  meaning  probably  is,  that  if  we  are  true 
Christians,  baptized  into  the  death  of  Christ,  united  and  conformed  to 
him  in  this  respect,  the  necessary  result  will  be  that  the  life  of  Christ 
will  be  manifested  in  us  by  a  holy  and  devoted  life  here,  by  a  life  of  glo- 
rious immortality,  and  by  the  resurrection  of  the  body  hereafter.  All 
this  is  included  in  the  life  consequent  on  our  union  with  Christ. 

(6)  Knowing  this,  that  our  old  man  was  crucified  with  him,  &c. 
This  verse  is  either  an  amplification  or  confirmation  of  the  preceding. 
'  If  united  with  the  Lord  Jesus,'  says  the  apostle,  '  in  his  death,  we 
shall  be  in  his  life,  for  we  know  that  we  are  crucified  with  him  for  this 
very  reason,  viz.  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed.'  In  this  view 
of  the  passage  it  is  little  more  than  an  amplification  of  v.  5.  But  it 
may  also  be  viewed  thus,  '  We  are  sure  we  shall  be  conformed  to  the  life 
of  Christ,  because  we  know  that  our  old  corruptions  have  been  destroyed 
by  his  death,  in  order  that  we  should  no  longer  serve  them.'  This  verse 
then  assigns  the  reason  for  the  assertion  contained  in  the  last  clause  of 
the  fifth. 

The  phrase  old  man  generally  means  the  natural  corruption,  or  unholy 
affections  of  men.  See  E  ph.  4  :  22,  "  Put  ye  off  the  old  man  which  is  cor- 
rupt ;"  Col.  3  :  9,  "  Lie  not  one  to  another,  seeing  ye  have  put  off  the  old 
man  with  his  deeds,  and  have  put  on  the  new  man."  The  apostle  then 
says,  that  Christians  know  that  the  effect  of  union  with  Christ  is  the  de- 


ROMANS  C:  1—11.  14 J 

struction  of  the  power  of  sin.  There  is  probably  no  allusion  in  the  use  of 
the  word  crucijied^  either  to  the  slowness  or  painfulness  of  that  particu- 
lar mode  of  death,  as  though  the  apostle  meant  to  intimate  that  the  de- 
struction of  sin  was  a  gradual  and  painful  process.  This  indeed  is  true, 
but  IS  not  here  expressed.  The  simple  expression  "  dead  with  him,"  is 
substituted  for  this  word  in  v.  8,  and  in  Gal.  2 :  20,  "  I  am  crucified  with 
Christ,"  contains  no  such  allusion.  It  is  more  probable,  as  Calvin  re- 
marks, that  the  word  is  used  to  intimate  that  it  is  solely  in  virtue  of  our 
participation  in  the  death  of  Christ  that  we  are  delivered  from  the  power 
of  sin. 

That  the  body  of  sin  might  he  destroyed.  The  expression  body  of  sin 
is  probably  a  mere  paraphrase  for  sin  itself,  see  Col.  2:11;  yet  it  is  no 
doubt  used  with  design,  as  sin  is  spoken  of  as  a  person  that  dies,  whose 
members  we  are  to  mortify,  and  whom  we  are  no  longer  to  serve.  The 
destruction  of  sin  results  from  the  death  of  Christ,  inasmuch  as  we  are 
thereby  reconciled  to  God,  and  brought  under  the  influence  of  all  the 
considerations  which  flow  from  the  doctrine  of  redemption,  see  v.  14; 
and  because  his  death  secures  for  us  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  is  the  source 
of  all  holiness,  ch.  8 :  3,  4,  9. 

That  henceforth  we  should  not  serve  sin,  i.  e.  be  slaves  to  it.  This 
clause  expresses  at  once  the  result  and  design  of  the  destruction  of  the 
power  of  sin.  Paul's  whole  argument  then  in  these  two  verses  is, '  Such 
is  the  nature  of  our  union  with  Christ,  that  if  we  partake  of  the  benefits 
of  his  death,  and  are  conformed  to  him  in  this  respect,  we  shall  certainly 
be  conformed  to  his  life ;  because  by  his  death  the  power  of  sin  is 
destroyed.' 

(7)  For  he  that  is  dead  is  free  froin  sin.  The  meaning  of  this  verse  is 
somewhat  doubtful.  It  may  be  considered  as  merely  a  statement  of  a 
general  truth,  designed  for  the  illustration  and  confirmation  of  what  Paul 
had  just  said.  'Death  puts  a  final  stop  to  all  activity  in  this  world. 
He  that  dies  is  entirely  separated  from  all  former  pursuits  and  objects; 
they  have  lost  all  power  over  him,  and  he  all  interest  in  them.  To  be 
dead  to  sin,  therefore,  expresses  a  full  and  final  separation  from  it.'  Or 
the  meaning  may  be  this,  '  "What  has  just  been  said  is  true,  for  he  that  is 
dead  with  Christ  is  judicially  free  from  sin ;  its  power  and  authority  are 
destroyed,  as  effectually  as  the  authority  of  a  husband  over  his  wife  (ch. 
7 :  .3,  4),  or  of  a  master  over  his  slave  (v.  18),  is  destroyed  by  death.' 
There  are  three  ways,  therefore,  in  which  this  verse  may  be  explained. 
1.  As  expressing  a  mere  general  truth.  2.  By  supplying,  after  the  word 
dead  the  words  to  sin^  '  He  that  is  dead  to  sin,  is  free  from  it.'  3.  By 
supplying  the  words  with  Christ,  '  He  that  is  dead  with  Christ  is  free 
from  sin.'  This  last  method  seems  the  preferable  one,  on  account  of  the 
relation  of  this  verse  to  vs.  6,  8,  "  He  that  is  dead  (with  Christ)  is  free 
from  sin,  for  if  we  be  dead  with  Christ,  we  believe  we  shall  also  live 
with  him." 

fs  free  from  sin ;   literally,  is  justified  from  sin.    Is  justified  from 


144  ROMANS  6:  1—11. 

sin  means,  is  pardoned,  is  freed  from  the  guilt  and  punishment  of 
sin  by  justification.  This  verse  then  assigns  a  very  important  reason 
for  the  truth  which  the  apostle  had  so  frequently  stated,  viz.  that 
the  believer  could  not  live  in  sin.  '  For  he  that  is  dead  with  Christ 
is  thereby  justified,  and  freed  from  the  punishment  of  sin  ;  he  is  thus 
reconciled  to  God  ;  and  as  reconciliation  and  communion  with  God 
are  the  true  sources  of  holiness,  he  is  also  freed  from  sin.'  This  inter- 
pretation is  confirmed  by  the  next  verse,  in  which  our  dying  with  Christ 
is  represented  as  securing  our  living  with  him.  See  Gal.  2:  19,  20.  6  : 
14.  Col.  2  :  6.  3  :  3.  1  Pet.  4:1.  In  all  these  passages,  Avith  more  or 
less  distinctness,  the  death  of  Christ,  and  believers  dying  with  him,  are 
represented  as  the  ground  and  cause  of  their  living  unto  God. 

Verses  8 — 11.  These  verses  contain  the  application  of  the  truth  taught 
in  the  preceding  passage.  '  If  we  are  dead  with  Christ,  we  shall  share 
in  his  life.  If  he  lives,  we  shall  live  also.  As  his  life  is  perpetual,  it 
secures  the  continued  supplies  of  life  to  all  his  members.  Death  has  no 
more  dominion  over  him.  Having  died  unto,  or  on  account  of  sin  once, 
he  now  ever  lives  to,  and  with  God.  His  people,  therefore,  must  be 
conformed  to  him  ;  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive  unto  God.'  This 
passage  does  not  contain  a  mere  comparison  between  the  literal  death 
and  resurrection  of  Christ,  and  the  spiritual  death  and  resurrection  of 
believers,  but  it  exhibits  the  connexion  between  the  death  and  life  of  the 
Redeemer  and  the  sanctification  of  his  people. 

(8)  jVow  if  we  be  dead  with  Christ,  &c.  If  the  truth  stated  in  the  pre- 
ceding verses  is  admitted,  viz.  that  our  union  with  Christ  is  such  that 
his  death  secures  our  deliverance  from  the  penalty  and  power  of  sin,  ive 
believe  lue  shall  also  live  with  him.  That  is,  we  are  sure  that  the  con- 
sequences of  his  death  are  not  merely  negative,  i.  e.  not  simply  deliver- 
ance from  evil,  moral  and  physical,  but  also  a  participation  in  his  life. 
To  live  with  Christ,  therefore,  includes  two  ideas,  association  with  him, 
and  similarity  to  him.  We  partake  of  his  life,  and  consequently  our  life 
is  like  his.  In  like  manner,  since  we  die  with  him,  we  die  as  he  died. 
So,  too,  when  we  are  said  to  reign  ivith  him,  to  be  glorified  together,  both 
these  ideas,  are  included;  see  ch.  8:  17,  and  many  similar  passages. 
The  life  here  spoken  of  is  that  "  eternal  life"  which  believers  are  said  to 
possess  even  in  this  world;  see  John  3  :  36.  5  :  24;  and  which  is  mani- 
fested here  by  devotion  to  God,  and  hereafter  in  the  purity  and  blessed- 
ness of  heaven.    It  includes,  therefore,  all  the  consequences  of  redemption. 

(9)  Knowing  that  Christ,  being  raised  from  the  dead,  dieth  no  more. 
The  perpetuity  of  Christ's  life  is  presented,  1.  As  the  ground  of  assur- 
ance of  the  perpetuity  of  the  life  of  believers.  We  shall  partake  of  the 
life  of  Christ,  i.  e.  of  the  spiritual  and  eternal  blessings  of  redemption, 
because  he  ever  lives  to  make  intercession  for  us,  and  to  grant  us  those 
supplies  of  grace  which  we  need,  see  ch.  5 :  10.  John  14  :  19.  1  Cor. 
15  :  23,  &c.  &c.  As  death  has  no  more  dominion  over  him,  there  is  no 
ground  of  apprehension  that  our  supplies  of  life  shall  be  cut  off.     This 


ROMANS  6:  1—11.  145 

verse,  therefore,  is  introduced  as  the  ground  of  the  declaration  "we  shall 
live  with  him,"  at  the  close  of  v.  8.  2.  The  perpetuity  of  the  life  of 
Christ  is  one  of  the  points  in  which  our  life  is  to  be  conformed  to  his. 

(10)  For  in  that  he  diedy  he  died  unto  sin  once,  &c.  This  verse  is  an 
amplification  and  explanation  of  the  preceding.  Christ's  life  is  perpe- 
tual, inasmuch  as  his  dying  unto  sin  was  for  once  only  ;  but  as  he  lives, 
he  lives  for  ever  in  the  presence,  and  to  the  glory  of  God.  It  is  evident 
that  Christ's  dying  unto  sin  must  be  understood  in  a  different  sense  from 
that  in  which  we  are  said  to  die  unto  sin.  The  dative  probably  here,  as 
so  often  elsewhere,  expresses  the  ground  or  reason  for  which  any  thing 
is  done;  see  on  v.  2,  *  He  died  on  account  of  sin.'  The  phrase,  there- 
fore, is  to  be  understood  as  those  in  Gal.  1  :  4.  Rom.  4:  25,  &,c.  &c., 
where  he  is  said  to  have  died  for  sin,  i.  e.  for  its  expiation  and  destruc- 
tion. This  sacrifice,  unlike  the  impotent  offerings  under  the  law,  was 
so  efficacious  that  it  never  need  be  repeated  ;  and  therefore  Christ,  having 
once  suffered  death,  is  never  again  to  be  subject  to  its  dominion,  Heb.  9 : 
28.  1  Pet.  3  :  18. 

But  in  that  he  liveth,  he  liveth  unto  God.  The  structure  of  this  sentence 
is  antithetical,  agreeably  to  Paul's  manner,  see  ch.  5:10;  and  this 
accounts  for  the  form  of  the  expression  he  liveth  unto  God,  which  is 
opposed  to  the  phrase  he  died  unto  sin.  Christ  lives  to  the  glory  of  God 
and  in  communion  with  him.  This  is  the  second  point  in  which  our 
life  is  to  be  conformed  to  his.  It  is  to  be  not  only  perpetual,  i.  e.  with- 
out relapse  into  spiritual  death,  but  also  devoted  to  the  service  and  enjoy- 
ment of  God. 

(11)  This  verse  contains  an  inference  from  the  preceding  discussion, 
and  an  application  of  it  to  the  case  of  Christians.  If  Christ  has  died  for 
the  destruction  and  expiation  of  sin,  and  if  all  who  belong  to  him  are 
united  to  him  in  his  death  so  as  to  have  their  sins  expiated  and  destroyed ; 
and  if,  moreover,  their  head,  in  whom  they  live,  has  risen  to  a  new  and 
endless  life  of  glory  and  holiness,  then  let  Christians  view  their  relation 
to  Christ  in  its  true  light,  and  live  accordingly. 

Likewise  reckon  ye  also  yourselves  as  dead  indeed,  unto  sin,  &c.  That 
.s,  regard  yourselves  as  having  died  with  Christ  for  deliverance  from  the 
guilt  of  sin,  see  vs.  5,  6,  8  ;  and  also  for  the  destruction  of  its  power,  see 
vs.  6,  7.  But  alive  unto  God.  Let  believers  consider  themselves  par- 
takers not  only  of  the  death  of  Christ,  but  also  of  his  life.  As  his  life 
is  perpetual  and  devoted  unto  God,  so  also  must  theirs  be.  Through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  It  is  through  Christ  that  we  die  unto  sin,  and 
live  unto  God.  It  is  not  we  that  live,  but  Christ  who  liveth  in  us.  Gal. 
2:19.  The  words  rendered  through  Christ  may  be  more  literally  trans- 
lated in  Christ,  i.  e.  it  is  in  virtue  of  union  with  him  that  we  die  unto  sin 
and  live  unto  God. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  Truth  cannot  lead  to  unholiness.  If  a  doctrine  encourages  sin  It 
must  be  false,  vs.  1,  2. 

N 


146  ROMANS  G:  1—11. 

2.  There  can  be  no  greater  contradiction  and  absurdity  than  for  one 
who  lives  in  sin  to  claim  to  be  a  Christian,  v.  2. 

3.  Antinomianism  is  not  only  an  error,  it  is  a  falsehood  and  a  slander. 
It  pronounces  valid  the  very  objection  against  the  gospel  which  Paul 
pronounces  a  contradiction  and  absurdity,  and  which  he  evidently  regards 
as  a  fatal  objection,  were  it  well  founded,  vs.  2,  3,  4,  &c. 

4.  Baptism  includes  a  profession  of  the  religion  taught  by  him  in 
whose  name  we  are  baptized,  and  an  obligation  to  obey  his  laws,  vs.  3, 4. 

5.  The  grand  design  of  Christianity  is  the  destruction  of  sin.  When 
sincerely  embraced,  therefore,  it  is  with  a  view  to  this  end,  v.  3. 

6.  The  source  of  the  believer's  holiness  is  his  union  with  Christ,  by 
which  his  reconciliation  to  God,  and  his  participation  of  the  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  secured,  vs.  4,  6. 

7.  The  fact  that  Christ  lives  is  sufficient  security  that  his  people  shall 
live  in  holiness  here,  and  in  glory  hereafter,  v.  8. 

8.  The  only  proper  evidence  that  we  are  the  partakers  of  the  benefits 
of  the  death  and  life  of  Christ,  is  our  dying  to  sin  and  living  to  God, 
V.  11,  and  the  whole  section. 

9.  The  gospel,  which  teaches  the  only  true  method  of  justification,  is 
the  only  system  which  can  secure  the  sanctification  of  men.  This  is  not 
only  the  doctrine  of  this  section,  but  it  is  the  leading  truth  of  this  and  the 
following  chapter. 


1.  As  the  most  prominent  doctrinal  truth  of  this  passage  is,  that  the 
death  of  Christ  secures  the  destruction  of  sin  wherever  it  secures  its  par- 
don, so  the  most  obvious  practical  inference  is,  that  it  is  vain  to  hope 
for  the  latter  benefit,  unless  we  labour  for  the  full  attainment  of  the 
former,  vs.  2 — 11. 

2.  For  a  professing  Christian  to  live  in  sin,  is  not  only  to  give  posi- 
tive evidence  that  he  is  not  a  real  Christian,  but  it  is  to  misrepresent  and 
slander  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God,  to  the  dishonour  of  religion  and 
the  injury  of  the  souls  of  men,  vs.  2 — 11. 

3.  Instead  of  holiness  being  in  order  to  pardon,  pardon  is  in  order  to 
holiness.     This  is  the  mystery  of  evangelical  morals,  v.  4,  &c. 

4.  The  only  effectual  method  of  gaining  the  victory  over  our  sins,  is 
to  live  in  communion  with  Jesus  Christ;  to  regard  his  death  as  securing 
the  pardon  of  sin,  as  restoring  us  to  the  divine  favour,  and  as  procuring 
for  us  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  is  those  who  thus  look  to 
Christ,  not  only  for  pardon  but  holiness,  that  are  successful  in  subduing 
sin ;  while  the  legalist  remains  its  slave,  rs.  6,  8. 

5.  It  is  a  consolation  to  the  believer  to  know  that,  if  he  has  the  evi- 
dence of  being  now  a  Christian,  he  may  be  sure  that  he  shall  live  with 
Christ.  As  long  and  as  surely  as  the  head  lives,  so  long  and  so  surely 
must  all  the  members  live,  v.  8,  &c. 


ROMANS  6:  12—23.  147 

6.  To  be  in  Christ  is  the  source  of  the  Christian's  life ;  to  be  like 
Christ  is  the  sum  of  his  excellence ;  and  to  be  with  Christ  is  the  fulness 
of  his  joy,  vs.  2 — 11. 

CHAP.  6:  12—23. 

^^Let  not  sin  therefore  reign  in  your  mortal  body,  that  ye  should  obey 
it  in  the  lusts  thereof.  ^^Neither  yield  ye  your  members  as  instruments 
of  unrighteousness  unto  sin :  but  yield  yourselves  unto  God,  as  those 
that  are  alive  from  the  dead,  and  your  members  as  instruments  of  right- 
eousness unto  God.  **For  sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you  :  for  ye 
are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace.  "What  then  1  shall  we  sin,  be- 
cause we  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace  1  God  forbid.  ^^Know 
ye  not,  that  to  whom  ye  yield  yourselves  servants  to  obey,  his  servants 
ye  are  to  whom  ye  obey;  whether  of  sin  unto  death,  or  of  obedience 
unto  righteousness?  ^''But  God  be  thanked,  that  ye  were  the  servants 
of  sin,  but  ye  have  obeyed  from  the  heart  that  form  of  doctrine  which 
was  delivered  you.  ^^Being  then  made  free  from  sin,  ye  became  the 
servants  of  righteousness.  ^^I  speak  after  the  manner  of  men  because  of 
the  infirmity  of  your  flesh :  for  as  ye  have  yielded  your  members  ser- 
vants to  uncleanness  and  to  iniquity  unto  iniquity  ;  even  so  now  yield 
your  members  servants  to  righteousness  unto  holiness.  ^°Fot  when  ye 
were  the  servants  of  sin,  ye  were  free  from  righteousness.  ^^What  fruit 
had  ye  then  in  those  things  whereof  ye  are  now  ashamed  1  for  the  end 
of  those  things  is  death.  22But  now  being  made  free  from  sin,  and  be- 
come servants  to  God,  ye  have  your  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the  end 
everlasting  life.  ^^For  the  wages  of  sin  is  death;  but  the  gift  of  God 
is  eternal  life  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

ANALYSIS. 

Paul,  having  shown,  in  the  preceding  section,  that  union  with  Christ 
secures  not  only  the  pardon,  but  the  destruction  of  sin,  exhorts  his  bre- 
thren to  live  agreeably  to  the  nature  and  design  of  the  gospel,  vs.  12, 13. 
As  an  encouragment  in  their  efforts  to  resist  their  corruptions,  he  assures 
them  that  sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  them,  because  they  are  not 
under  the  law,  but  under  grace,  v.  14.  This  is  another  fundamental  prin- 
ciple in  the  doctrine  of  sanctification.  Holiness  is  not  attained  and  can- 
not be  attained  by  those  who,  being  under  the  law,  are  still  unreconciled 
to  God.  It  is  necessary  that  we  should  enjoy  his  favour  in  order  to  ex- 
ercise towards  him  right  affections.  This  doctrine  is  not  justly  liable 
to  the  objection,  that  we  may  sin  with  impunity  if  not  under  the  law, 
V.  15.  The  true  situation  of  the  Christian  is  illustrated  by  a  reference 
to  the  relation  between  a  servant  and  his  master.  Believers,  before  con- 
version, were  the  servants  of  sin  ;  after  it,  they  are  the  servants  of  right- 
eousness. Formerly  they  were  under  an  influence  which  secured  their 
obedience  to  evil ;  now  they  are  under  an  influence  which  secures  their 
obedience  to  good.    The  consequence  of  the  former  service  was  death; 


148  ROMANS  6:  12—23. 

of  the  present,  life.  The  knowledge  of  these  consequences  tends 
to  secure  the  continued  fidelity  of  the  Christian  to  his  new  master, 
vs.  16—23. 

COMMENTARY. 

(12)  Let  not  sin  therefore  reign  in  your  mortal  bodi/,SLG.  'Seeing 
that  the  design  and  nature  of  the  gospel  are  such  as  stated  in  the  pre- 
ceding section,  those  who  profess  to  have  embraced  that  system,  or  to 
be  united  to  Christ,  should  show  the  evidence  of  their  union  by  holiness 
of  life.'  To  reign,  of  course,  signifies  to  exercise  uncontrolled  autho- 
rity. The  exhortation  is,  that  Christians  should  not  recognise  or  yield  to 
this  authority  of  sin.  The  words  mortal  body  admit  of  various  interpre- 
tations. They  may  be  a  mere  paraphrase  for  you,  '  Let  not  sin  reign  in 
you.'  So,  in  the  next  verse,  your  members  may  stand  for  yourselves. 
2.  Others  take  the  word  mortal  in  the  same  figurative  sense  in  which 
the  word  dead  is  used,  i.  e.  for  corrupt.  But,  in  this  sense,  mortal 
nowhere  else  occurs.  3.  Others  again  take  body,  in  the  sense  of  Jlesh, 
for  corrupt  nature.  But  this  also  is  contrary  to  usage.  It  is  most  proba- 
ble, therefore,  that  the  words  are  to  be  retained  in  their  literal  and  proper 
meaning.  "  Let  not  sin  reign  in  or  over  your  body."  This  includes 
the  idea  that  the  body  is  the  instrument  of  sin ;  or  that  it  is  by  the  ac- 
tions of  the  body  that  the  existence  and  dominion  of  indwelling  sin  is, 
in  a  great  measure,  manifested ;  and  especially  that  a  great  part  of  sin 
consists  in  yielding  to  the  appetites  or  desires  of  the  body.  This  latter 
idea  is  clearly  expressed  in  the  following  clause,  that  ye  should  obey  it 
(sin)  in  the  lusts  thereof  (the  body).  We  should  not  allow  sin  to  reign  ; 
that  is,  we  should  not  obey  it,  by  yielding  to  the  desires  of  the  body. 

(13)  Neither  yield  ye  your  members  as  instruments  of  unrighteousness 
unto  sin,  &c.  The  word  rendered  to  yield  unto  means,  to  give  up  to  the 
use  and  control  of;  see  Matt.  26  :  53.  The  word  members  includes  the 
faculties  of  the  mind  as  well  as  the  members  of  the  body ;  compare 
Col.  3 :  5,  "Mortify  your  members  which  are  upon  the  earth,"  &c. 
The  expression  is  a  paraphrase  for  yourselves  ;  which  word  is  substituted 
for  it  in  the  next  clause.  There  is,  however,  an  obvious  reference  to  the 
preceding  verse  and  the  expression  your  body.  The  exhortation,  there- 
fore, is  not  to  yield  ourselves  up  to  sin  as  instruments  for  doing  evil. 
The  word  rendered  instruments,  though  it  most  frequently  means  arms,  is 
used  for  implements  of  any  kind  and  for  any  purpose. 

But  yield  yourselves  unto  God,  give  yourselves  up  to  the  use  and  con- 
trol of  God.  As  those  that  are  alive  from  the  dead.  This  clause,  which 
is  descriptive  both  of  the  state  and  character  of  believers,  is  evidently 
derived  from  the  preceding  representation  of  Christians  as  being  dead 
with  Christ  unto  sin,  and  living  with  him  unto  God.  They  are  required 
to  act  as  those  who  are  partakers  of  the  life  of  Christ;  as  those  whom 
God  has  quickened  and  made  to  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  with 
Christ  Jesus,  Eph.  2:  5,  6.    .dnd  your  members,  your  faculties  of  mind 


ROMANS  6:  12—23.  149 

and  body,  as  instruments  of  righteousness  unto  God.     This  clause  is  sim- 
ply explanatory  of  the  former. 

(14)  For  sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you,  &c.  This  clause  is  vari- 
ously explained.  Some  make  the  future  here  to  express  obligation,  '  Sin 
ought  not  to  have  dominion  over  you.'  But  this  is  not  the  natural  force 
of  the  words  ;  and,  in  this  case,  it  is  not  only  unnecessary,  but  inconsis- 
tent with  the  context,  inasmuch  as  the  following  clause  "  ye  are  not  under 
law,"  &c.  would,  in  a  great  measure,  lose  its  force.  The  common  inter- 
pretation gives  a  much  better  sense,  '  Live  devoted  to  God,  be  faithful  in 
your  efforts  to  live  to  his  glory,  for  you  shall  be  successful ;  sin  shall  not 
have  dominion  over  you.'     Then  follows  the  ground  of  this  assurance. 

For  ye  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace.  To  be  under  the  law 
means  to  be  under  its  authority,  see  Gal.  4 :  2,  4 ;  and  to  be  under  its 
constraining  influence,  see  Rom.  3  :  9.  Both  ideas  are  here  included. 
We  are  not  under  the  authority  of  the  law,  nor  have  we  a  legal  spirit. 
We  are  not  only  free  from  its  objective  authority,  but  from  its  subjective 
influence.  That  the  law  here  does  not  mean  the  Mosaic  law  or  dispensa- 
tion merely,  is  evident,  1.  From  the  absence  of  the  article  in  the  Greek. 
Paul  would  have  said,  '  ye  are  not  under  the  law,'  and  not  so  generally, 
'  ye  are  not  under  law,'  had  he  referred  especially  to  the  law  of  Moses. 
2.  The  sense  afforded  does  not  suit  the  context.  Freedom  from  the 
Mosaic  institutions  is  no  security  that  sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over 
us.  3.  The  opposition  to  the  word  grace  shows  that  this  cannot  be  the 
apostle's  meaning.  Grace,  here,  as  in  ch.  5  :  2,  means  state  of  favour. 
To  be  under  grace,  therefore,  is  to  be  under  a  gracious  dispensation,  or  in 
a  state  of  reconciliation  with  God.  To  be  under  law,  on  the  other  hand, 
means  to  be  in  a  legal  state,  or  under  a  legal  dispensation.  4.  This  inter 
pretation  is  inconsistent  with  the  apostle's  doctrines  and  reasoning 
throughout  the  epistle.  It  is  not  the  Mosaic  law  and  ceremonial  works 
which  he  declares  to  be  insufficient,  but  any  law  and  any  works.  As  the 
form,  however,  in  which  a  legal  spirit  manifested  itself  in  the  days  of  the 
apostles,  was  by  a  desire  to  enforce  the  law  of  Moses,  the  expression  has 
often  a  special  reference  to  the  Old  Testament  economy,  see  Gal.  4:11. 
The  law  means  the  whole  rule  of  duty  of  which  the  Mosaic  institutions 
were  for  a  long  time  a  prominent  part;  but  to  restrict  the  term  in  this 
connexion  to  that  part,  is  inconsistent  with  the  scope  of  the  apostle's  argu- 
ment, and  with  the  nature  of  the  gospel  as  the  means  of  deliverance,  not 
from  ceremonial  observances  only,  but  from  the  obligation  of  the  law  as 
a  rule  of  justification. 

Believers,  therefore,  are  not  under  the  law  as  the  rule  which  prescribes 
the  condition  of  their  acceptance  with  God  ;  nor  are  they  under  the  influ- 
ence of  a  legal  spirit.  They  are  under  grace,  inasmuch  as  they  are  under 
a  dispensation  which  proffers  to  them  gratuitous  acceptance,  and,  being 
reconciled  to  God,  they  are  under  the  constraining  influence  of  his  love. 
The  great  principle  of  evangelical  obedience  is  therefore  taught  in  this 
passage.     Holiness  is  not  the  result-of  the  law,  but  of  the  liberty  whcre- 

n2 


150  ROMANS  6:  12—23, 

with  Christ  has  made  us  free.  While  under  the  law,  our  spirit  is  legal 
and  slavish  ;  and  our  works  are  works  of  constraint  and  fear.  When 
under  grace,  our  spirit  is  filial  and  free  (ch.  8  ;  15)  ;  and  our  works  spon- 
taneous and  cordial.  Paul  teaches  this  doctrine  at  length  in  the  next 
chapter,  and  shows  that  the  freedom  from  the  law,  which  the  legal 
moralist  says  must  lead  to  licentiousness,  is  essential  to  holiness. 

(15)  TVhai  then  ?  Shall  we  sin,  because  we  are  not  under  the  law,  hut 
under  grace  ?  God  forbid.  Paul  evinces  constantly  his  anxiety  to  avoid 
misapprehension,  and  to  show  that  freedom  from  the  law  is  very  different 
from  being  free  from  moral  obligation.  He,  therefore,  for  the  second 
time,  denies  that  the  Ilib^rty  of  the  gospel  is  a  liberty  to  sin.  As  the 
illustration  and  confirmation  of  the  principle  of  v.  14,  are  formally  resumed 
at  the  beginning  of  the  next  chapter,  the  apostle  contents  himself  here 
with  proving  the  unsoundness  of  the  objection  presented  in  this  verse,  by 
showing  that  it  is  as  impossible  for  the  Christian  to  live  in  sin,  as  for  the 
slave  of  one  man  to  be  obedient  to  another;  or  for  a  man  to  serve  two 
masters  at  the  same  time. 

(16)  Know  ye  not,  that  to  whom  ye  yield  yourselves  servants  to  obey,  his 
servants  ye  are  to  luhom  ye  obey,  &c.  '  Know  ye  not  that  those  who  obey 
sin  are  its  slaves  ;  hurried  on  from  one  degrading  service  to  another,  until 
it  works  their  ruin ;  but  that  those  who  serve  holiness  are  constrained, 
though  sweetly,  to  constancy  and  fidelity,  until  the  glorious  consummation 
of  their  course  V  As  a  servant  or  slave  is  under  an  influence  which 
secures  obedience  to  his  master,  so  also,  in  spiritual  or  moral  relations,  a 
man  who  serves  sin  is  under  an  influence  which  secures  the  continuance 
of  his  obedience,  and  he  who  serves  holiness  is  under  an  influence  which 
effectually  secures  the  constancy  of  his  service.  This  being  the  case, 
it  is  not  possible  for  the  Christian  or  servant  of  holiness  to  be  found 
engaged  in  the  service  of  sin.  The  language  and  the  construction  are 
here  nearly  the  same  as  in  v.  13.  To  yield  ourselves  as  servants  unto  any 
one,  is  to  give  ourselves  up  to  his  authority  and  control.  All  unrenewed 
men  give  themselves  up  to  sin  under  one  form  or  another.  They  are, 
therefore,  its  slaves,  kept  faithful  to  this  service,  and  reap  its  final  reward. 
Christians,  on  the  other  hand,  give  themselves  up  to  holiness,  and  are 
kept  faithful  and  receive  their  reward.  This  is  more  fully  expressed  in 
the  next  clause. 

Whether  of  sin  unto  death,  or  of  obedience  unto  righteousness.  The  ex- 
pression servants  of  obedience  is  very  unusual.  From  the  opposition,  how- 
ever, between  sin  and  obedience,  the  latter  must  mean  holiness  or  goodness 
in  general,  although  no  precisely  similar  use  of  the  word  occurs,  see  ch. 
5:19.  In  like  manner,  from  the  antithesis  between  death  and  righteous^ 
ness,  the  one  being  the  result  of  sin,  and  the  other  of  obedience,  it  is 
evident  that  the  latter  must  be  taken  metonymically  for  the  effects  of 
righteousness,  i.  e.  the  favour  of  God,  happiness,  the  opposite  of  death. 

(17)  But  God  be  thanked  that  ye  were  the  servants  of  sin ;  but  ye  have 
obeyed  from  the  heart,  &c.    As  it  is  the  apostle's  object  to  show  that 


ROMANS  6:  12—23.  151 

believers  cannot  live  in  sin,  inasmuch  as  they  have  become  the  servants 
of  another  master,  he  applies  the  general  truth  stated  in  the  preceding 
verses  more  directly  to  his  immediate  readers,  and  gives  thanks  that  they, 
being  emancipated  from  their  former  bondage,  are  now  bound  to  a  master 
whose  service  is  perfect  liberty.  The  expression  in  the  first  member  of 
this  verse  is  somewhat  unusual,  although  the  sense  is  plain.  '  God  be 
thanked,  that  ye  were  the  servants  of  sin,  but,'  &c.  for  '  God  be  thanked, 
that  ye,  being  the  servants  of  sin,  have  obeyed,'  &c. 

But  ye  have  obeyed  from  the  heart  that  form  of  doctrine  which  was 
delivered  unto  you.  The  construction  of  the  original  is  here  doubtful  and 
difficult.  It  may  be  resolved  thus,  '  Ye  have  obeyed  that  form  of  doctrine 
into  which  ye  have  been  delivered,  i.  e.  to  which  ye  have  become  sub- 
jected.' Or  the  sentence  may  be  thus  explained,  '  Ye  have  obeyed  that 
form  or  doctrine  which  was  delivered  unto  you.'  Compare  Rom.  3  :  2. 
Gal.  2:7.  '  Which  was  delivered  unto  you,"*  for  '  which  ye  had  (or  pos- 
sessed) delivered.^  The  grammatical  structure  of  the  sentence  is  in  this 
case  entirely  different  from  that  assumed  in  the  former  explanation,  but 
the  sense  is  much  the  same.  The  general  idea  is,  ye  have  obeyed  the 
doctrines  which  ye  have  received. 

Form  of  doctrine.  Form.,  i.  e.  type,  image,  model,  rule.  The  word  has 
all  these  meanings.  The  last  seems  the  best  suited  to  this  passage. 
They  were  obedient  to  the  gospel  as  a  rule  of  faith  and  practice.  If  even 
in  ordinary  cases  a  servant  is  obedient  to  his  master,  there  is  little  reason 
to  apprehend  that  Christians,  who,  from  the  heart  have  become  obedient 
to  the  gospel,  will  relapse  into  the  service  of  sin. 

(18)  Being  then  made  free  from  sin,  ye  became  the  servants  of  righteous- 
ness. Having  been  emancipated  from  one  master,  they  became  subject 
to  another.  The  illustration  is  the  same  as  in  the  preceding  verses.  It 
is  absurd  that  a  slave  just  emancipated  should  voluntarily  return  to  his 
former  bondage  ;  so  it  is  absurd  to  suppose  that  the  Christian,  delivered 
from  the  bondage  of  sin,  should  return  to  it.  For  the  service  to  which 
he  is  introduced  is,  in  fact,  liberty  in  its  highest  and  truest  sense.  "  If 
the  Son  shall  make  you  free,  ye  shall  be  free  indeed,"  John  8 :  36. 

(19)  /  speak  after  the  manner  of  men  on  account  cf  the  infirmity  of 
your  flesh,  &c.  The  phrase  /  speak  after  the  manner  of  men  means,  in 
this  case,  'I  say  what  is  common  among  men,'  i.  e.  I  use  an  illustration 
borrowed  from  the  common  affairs  of  life.  The  apostle  appears  to  have 
felt  that  the  illustration  was  inadequate  and  beneath  the  dignity  of  his 
subject.  He,  therefore,  states  why  he  used  it.  He  was  forced  to  bor- 
row a  comparison  from  the  relations  of  men  on  account  of  the  infirmity 
of  their  flesh.  This,  according  to  the  familiar  scriptural  idiom,  means 
carnal  infirmity.  The  two  ideas  of  weakness  and  corruption  are  com- 
monly united  in  the  scriptural  use  of  the  word  flesh.  The  apostle,  there- 
fore, means  to  intimate  that  it  was  on  account  of  a  want  of  spiritual 
apprehension  on  the  part  of  his  readers,  or  because  of  a  weakness 
arising  from  their  being  corrupt,  that  he  was  obliged  to  use  such  figures. 


152  ROMANS  6:  12—23. 

"What  he  seems  to  have  regarded  as  incongruous,  is  the  comparison  of 
the  believer's  devotion  to  God  and  holiness,  to  a  slavery,  while  it  is 
a  voluntary  and  delightful  service.  The  point  of  the  comparison,  how- 
ever, is  merely  the  devotion  and  constancy  of  the  obedience. 

For  as  ye  have  yielded  your  members  as  servants  to  uncleanness  and 
to  iniquity,  unto  iniquity ;  even  so  now  yield  your  members  servants  to 
righteousness,  unto  holiness.  The  word  for,  at  the  beginning  of  this 
clause,  connects  it  with  v.  18 ;  the  first  part  of  this  verse  being  paren- 
thetical. '  Being  free  from  sin,  ye  became  the  servants  of  righteousness, 
for  as  ye  yielded  your  members  to  sin,  so  now  have  ye  yielded  them  to 
righteousness.'  The  last  clause  of  the  verse  Paul  expresses  exhorta- 
tively  instead  of  declaratively,  as  the  regular  structure  of  the  sentence 
would  seem  to  require.  Although  the  general  sense  of  these  clauses  is 
perfectly  obvious,  there  is  some  doubt  as  to  the  precise  meaning  of  the 
apostle.  The  words  unto  iniquity  and  unto  holiness,  in  the  two  members 
of  the  sentence,  evidently  correspond  to  each  other.  The  preposition 
unto  probably  points  out  the  result.  '  Ye  served  uncleanness  unto  ini- 
quity, i.  e.  so  as  to  become  iniquitous;  even  so  ye  serve  righteousness 
unto  holiness,  i.  e.  so  as  to  become  holy.'  This  is  the  most  natural  in- 
terpretation. It  is,  however,  possible  to  understand  the  phrases  "  ini- 
quity unto  iniquity,"  and  "righteousness  unto  holiness,"  as  expressing 
the  ideas  of  intensity  and  progress.  Compare  the  expressions  "death 
unto  death,"  i.  e.  very  deadly,  and  "life  unto  life,"  &c. 

(20)  For  when  ye  were  the  servants  of  sin,  ye  were  free  from  right- 
eousness. This  verse  may  be  understood  either  as  a  mere  statement  of 
the  fact,  that  w^hen  the  servants  of  the  one  master  they  were  not  the  ser- 
vants of  the  other ;  or  as  referring  to  the  state  of  feeling  of  those  in- 
tended. '  When  the  servants  of  sin,  ye  felt  indeed  free  from  all  the 
restraints  of  righteousness  ;  ye  enjoyed  a  kind  of  liberty,  but  what  is  the 
fruit  o  such  liberty  V  v.  21.  According  to  this  latter  view,  freedom 
from  r  ghteousness  is  regarded  as  a  kind  of  advantage  in  the  sinner's 
estimation,  which  Paul  shows  in  the  next  verse  to  be  of  no  value.  The 
former  view,  however,  seems  the  most  simple  and  natural,  as  well  as 
most  consistent  with  the  context,  and  with  the  use  of /or  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  verse.  As  a  motive  for  obedience  to  the  exhortation  contained 
in  V.  19,  Paul  reminds  them  that  they  were  formerly  the  servants  of  a  far 
different  master,  of  the  nature  and  results  of  whose  service  he  speaks  in 
the  next  verse. 

(21,  22)  In  these  verses  the  apostle  refers  to  the  different  character 
and  results  of  the  service  of  sin  and  holiness,  as  a  reason  for  continued 
devotion  to  God.  What  fruit  had  ye  then  in  those  things  of  which  yc 
are  now  ashamed?  &c.  As  thus  translated  and  pointed,  this  clause  can 
hardly  have  any  other  meaning  than,  '  What  was  the  result  of  your  for- 
mer service  or  mode  of  life  V  The  answer  to  this  question  is  found  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  verse,  the  end  of  those  things  is  death.  This  sup- 
poses the  words  for  those  things  or  works  to  be  supplied,  as  they  are  not 


ROMANS  6:  12—23.  153 

expressed  in  the  text.  This  interpretation  gives  a  good  sense,  and  is 
consistent  with  the  use  of  the  phrase  to  have  fruit  of,  in  the  sense  of 
deriving  benefit  from. 

For  the  end  of  those  things  is  death.  The  sense  of  this  clause  depends 
on  the  preceding.  If  the  interpretation  of  the  former  part  of  the  sentence 
just  given  be  adopted,  those  things  must  refer  to  the  vv^orks  of  which  the 
converted  sinner  is  now  ashamed.  End  means  the  result,  that  to  which 
the  things  in  question  lead.  Death  here,  as  in  v.  23  and  elsewhere, 
stands  for  all  the  evils  consequent  on  sin. 

(22)  But  now  being  made  free  from  sin,  and  become  the  servants  of 
God,  &c.  *  When  the  servants  of  sin,  ye  were  employed  in  a  way  which 
ye  now  blush  to  remember,  and  which  could  end  only  in  hopeless  degra- 
dation and  misery ;  but  now,  being  free  from  that  bondage,  and  bound  in 
sweet  bonds  to  God,  ye  are  enriched  with  holiness  here,  and  have  the 
certain  prospect  of  eternal  life  hereafter.'  Being  free  from  sin,  i.e. 
emancipated  from  bondage  to  it;  see  the  corresponding  phrase  free  fj-um 
righteousness,  v.  20.  Become  the  servants  of  God,  i.  e.  having  become 
slaves  to  God.  It  is  the  use  of  this  word  which  led  Paul  to  state  why 
he  was  led  to  employ  such  an  illustration,  in  some  respects  so  little 
suited  to  the  relation  of  the  believer  to  God.  The  service  is  not  slavish 
either  in  its  motive  or  character.  Still,  it  is  faithful  and  well  secured, 
and  these  ideas  are  the  point  of  the  comparison. 

Ye  have  your  fruit  unto  holiness.  Fruit  unto  holiness  may  be  either 
fruit  which  is  holiness,  or  fruit  which  tends  to  holiness,  i.  e.  produces  it. 
This  is  most  natural.  The  result  of  the  service  of  God  is  sanctification 
here,  and  eternal  life  hereafter.  And  the  end  eternal  life.  Not  only  is 
this  service  the  most  elevated  and  blessed  in  its  own  nature,  but  its  cer- 
tain consummation  is  eternal  life.  Life  in  all  the  senses  in  which  Christ 
causes  his  people  to  live. 

(23)  For  the  icages  of  sin  is  death;  but  the  gift  of  God  is  eternal 
life  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  The  reason  stated  in  this  verse  for 
the  declaration  of  the  preceding  is,  that  sin  earns  and  deserves  death. 
There  is  as  much  an  obligation  in  justice  that  death  should  be  the  conse- 
quence of  sin,  as  that  the  labourer  should  have  his  hire.  The  result  of 
the  other  service  is  equally  sure,  although  on  other  grounds  ;  such  is  the 
purpose  of  God.  Hell  is  always  merited,  heaven  never.  The  connex- 
ion between  sin  and  misery  is  that  between  labour  and  its  just  reward; 
the  connexion  between  obedience  to  God  and  eternal  happiness  is  merely 
that  of  grace  and  congruity.  '  Vessels  of  mercy  prepared  unto  glory.' 
The  preparation  is  of  grace  as  well  as  the  reward.  Through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord.  Jesus  Christ  and  his  gospel,  then,  instead  of  being  the  mi- 
nisters of  sin,  as  their  opposers  so  con"fidently  asserted,  effectually  secure 
what  the  law  never  could  accomplish,  an  obedience  consisting  in  holi 
ness  and  resulting  in  eternal  life. 


154  ROMANS  6:  12—23. 


DOCTRINES. 

1.  The  leading  doctrine  of  this  section,  and  of  the  whole  gospel,  in 
reference  to  sanctification,  is,  that  gcace,  instead  of  leading  to  the  indulg- 
ence of  sin,  is  essential  to  the  exercise  of  holiness.  So  long  as  we  are 
under  the  influence  of  a  self-righteous  or  legal  spirit,  the  motive  and  aim 
of  all  good  works  are  wrong  or  defective.  The  motive  is  fear,  or  some 
merely  natural  affection,  and  the  aim,  to  merit  the  bestowment  of  good. 
But  when  we  accept  of  the  gracious  offers  of  the  gospel,  and  feel  that  our 
sins  are  gratuitously  pardoned,  a  sense  of  the  divine  love  shed  abroad  in 
the  heart  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  awakens  all  holy  affections.  The  motive 
to  obedience  is  now  love,  and  its  aim  the  glory  of  God,  v.  14,  &c. 

2.  Paul  teaches  that  it  is  not  only  obligatory  on  Christians  to  renounce 
the  service  of  sin,  but  that,  in  point  of  fact,  the  authority  and  power  of 
their  foriner  master  are  destroyed,  and  those  of  their  new  master  expe- 
rienced, whenever  they  embrace  the  gospel.  This  is  the  very  nature  of 
the  change.  The  charge,  therefore,  that  the  gospel  leads  to  the  service 
of  sin,  is  an  absurdity,  vs.  15 — 18. 

3.  Religion  is  essentially  active.  It  is  the  yielding  up  of  ourselves, 
with  all  our  powers,  to  God,  and  the  actual  employment  of  them  as  instru- 
ments in  doing  good.  Nothing  can  be  at  a  greater  remove  from  this, 
than  making  religion  a  mere  matter  of  indolent  profession ;  a  saying  Lord, 
Lord,  V.  12,  &c. 

4.  Both  from  the  nature  of  things,  and  the  appointment  of  God,  the 
wages  of  sin  is  death.  It  renders  intercourse  with  God,  who  is  the  foun- 
tain of  life,  impossible.  It  consists  in  the  exercise  of  feelings,  in  their 
own  nature,  inconsistent  with  happiness ;  it  constantly  increases  in  ma- 
lignity and  in  power  to  destroy  the  peace  of  the  soul.  Apart  from  these 
essential  tendencies,  its  relation  to  conscience  and  the  justice  of  God, 
renders  the  connexion  between  sin  and  misery  indissoluble.  Salvation 
in  sin  is  as  much  a  contradiction,  as  happiness  in  misery,  vs.  21,  23. 

5.  Eternal  life  is  the  gift  of  God.  It  does  not,  like  eternal  death, 
flow,  as  a  natural  consequence,  from  any  thing  in  us.  With  the  holy 
angels,  who  have  never  lost  the  favour  of  God,  this  may  be  the  case. 
But  the  tendency  of  all  that  belongs  to  us,  is  to  death  ;  this  must  be  coun- 
teracted ;  those  excellences,  in  which  life  consists  and  from  which  it 
flows,  must  be  produced,  sustained  and  strengthened  by  the  constant, 
condescending,  and  long-suffering  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  life 
thus  graciously  produced  and  graciously  sustained,  is  at  last  graciously 
crowned  with  eternal  glory,  vs.  22,  23. 

REMARKS. 

1.  We  should  cultivate  a  sense  of  the  divine  favour  as  a  means  to  holi- 
ness. We  must  cease  to  be  slaves  before  we  can  be  children.  We  must 
be  free  from  the  dominion  of  fear  before  we  can  be  under  the  government 
of  love.     A  self-righteous  spirit,  therefore,  is  not  more  inconsistent  with 


ROMANS  G:  12—23.  153 

reliance  on  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  in  order  to  justification,  than  it 
is  with  the  existence  and  progress  of  sanctification.  Whatever  tends  to 
destroy  a  sense  of  the  divine  favour,  must  be  inimical  to  holiness.  Hence 
the  necessity  of  keeping  a  conscience  void  of  offence ;  and  of  maintaining 
uninterrupted  our  union  with  Christ,  as  our  sacrifice  and  advocate, 
V.  14,  &c. 

2.  Those  Christians  are  under  a  great  mistake,  who  suppose  that  de- 
spondency is  favourable  to  piety.  Happiness  is  one  of  the  elements  of 
life.  Hope  and  joy  are  twin  daughters  of  piety,  and  cannot,  without 
violence  and  injury,  be  separated  from  their  parent.  To  rejoice  is  as  much 
a  duty  as  it  is  a  privilege,  v.  14,  &c. 

3.  Sinners  are  slaves.  Sin  reigns  over  them  ;  and  all  their  powers  are 
delivered  to  this  master  as  instruments  of  unrighteousness.  He  secures 
obedience  with  infallible  certainty  ;  his  bonds  become  stronger  every  day, 
and  his  wages  are  death.  From  his  tyranny  and  recompense  there  is  no 
deliverance  by  the  law  ;  our  only  hope  is  in  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  vs. 
12,  13,  16,  &c. 

4.  Christians  are  the  servants  of  God.  He  reigns  over  them,  and  all 
their  powers  are  consecrated  to  him.  He,  too,  secures  fidelity,  and  his 
bonds  of  love  and  duty  become  stronger  every  day.  His  reward  is  eter- 
nal life,  vs.  12,  13,  16,  &c. 

5.  It  is  of  God,  that  those  who  were  once  the  servants  of  sin,  become 
the  servants  of  righteousness.  To  him,  therefore,  all  the  praise  and  gra- 
titude belong,  V.  17. 

6.  When  a  man  is  the  slave  of  sin,  he  commonly  thinks  himself  free; 
and  when  most  degraded,  is  often  the  most  proud.  When  truly  free, 
he  feels  himself  most  strongly  bound  to  God  ;  and  when  most  elevated, 
is  most  humble,  vs.  20 — 22. 

7.  Self-abasement,  or  shame  in  view  of  his  past  life,  is  the  necessary 
result  of  those  views  of  his  duty  and  destiny  which  every  Christian 
obtains,  when  he  becomes  the  servant  of  God,  v.  12. 


CHAPTER  VH. 


CONTENTS. 


The  apostle,  having  shown  in  the  preceding  chapter,  that  the  doctrines 
of  grace  do  not  give  liberty  to  sin,  but  on  the  contrary  are  productive  of 
holiness,  in  this  chapter  first  illustrates  and  confirms  his  position  that  we 
are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace,  and  shows  the  consequences  of 
this  change  in  our  relation  to  God.  While  under  the  law,  we  brought 
forth  fruit  unto  sin ;  when  under  grace,  we  bring  forth  fruit  unto  right- 
eousness.     This  occupies  the  first  section,  vs.  1 — 6.     The  second,  vs. 


156  ROMANS  7:  1— fi. 

7 25,  contains  an  exhibition  of  the  operation  of  the  law,  derived  from  the 

apostle's  own  experience,  and  designed  to  show  its  insufficiency  to  pro- 
duce sanctification,  as  he  had  before  proved  it  to  be  insufficient  for  justifi- 
cation. This  section  consists  of  two  parts,  vs.  7 — 13,  which  exhibit  the 
operation  of  the  law  in  producing  conviction  of  sin ;  and  vs.  14 — 25, 
which  show  that  in  the  inward  conflict  between  sin  and  holiness,  the  law 
cannot  afford  the  believer  any  relief.  His  only  hope  of  victory  is  in  the 
grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

CHAP.  7:  1—6. 

^Know  ye  not,  brethren,  (for  I  speak  to  them  that  know  the  law,)  how 
that  the  law  hath  dominion  over  a  man  as  long  as  he  liveth  1  ^For  the 
woman  which  hath  an  husband  is  bound  by  the  law  to  her  husband  so  long 
as  he  liveth ;  but  if  the  husband  be  dead,  she  is  loosed  from  the  law  of 
?ier  husband.  ^So  then  if,  while  her  husband  liveth,  she  be  married  to 
another  man,  she  shall  be  called  an  adulteress  :  but  if  her  husband  be  dead, 
she  is  free  from  that  law ;  so  that  she  is  no  adulteress,  though  she  be  mar- 
ried to  another  man.  ^Wherefore,  my  brethren,  ye  also  are  become  dead 
to  the  law  by  the  body  of  Christ ;  that  ye  should  be  married  to  another, 
even  to  him  who  is  raised  from  the  dead,  that  we  should  bring  forth  fruit 
unto  God.  ^For  when  we  were  in  the  flesh,  the  motions  of  sins,  which 
were  by  the  law,  did  work  in  our  members  to  bring  forth  fruit  unto  death. 
^But  now  we  are  delivered  from  the  law,  that  being  dead  wherein  we 
were  held  ;  that  we  should  serve  in  newness  of  spirit,  and  not  in  the  old- 
ness  of  the  letter. 


This  section  is  an  illustration  of  the  position  assumed  in  v.  14  of  the 
preceding  chapter  ;  we  are  not  under  law,  but  under  grace.  Paul  remarks, 
as  a  general  fact,  that  the  authority  of  laws  is  not  perpetual,  v.  1.  For 
example,  the  law  of  marriage  binds  a  woman  to  her  husband  only  so  long 
as  he  lives.  When  he  is  dead,  she  is  free  from  the  obligation  which  that 
law  imposed,  and  is  at  liberty  to  marry  another  man,  vs.  2,  3.  So  we, 
being  free  from  the  law,  which  was  our  first  husband,  are  at  liberty  to 
marry  another,  even  Christ.  We  are  freed  from  the  law  by  the  death  of 
Christ,  V.  4.  The  fruit  of  our  first  marriage  was  sin,  v.  5.  The  fruit  of 
the  second  is  holiness,  v.  6. 

The  apparent  confusion  in  this  passage  arises  from  the  apostle's  not 
carrying  the  figure  regularly  through.  As  a  woman  is  free  from  obliga- 
tion to  her  husband  by  his  death,  so  we  are  free  from  the  law  by  its  death, 
is  obviously  the  illustration  intended.  But  the  apostle,  out  of  respect 
probably  to  the  feelings  of  his  readers,  avoids  saying  the  law  is  dead,  but 
expresses  the  idea  that  we  are  free  from  it,  by  saying  we  are  dead  to  the 
law  by  the  body  of  Christ. 


ROMANS  7:  1—6.  157 


TCOMMENTARY. 


(1)  Know  ye  not  brethren  {for  I  speak  to  them  that  know  the  law),  how 
that  the  law  hath  dominion  over  a  man  as  long  as  he  liveth  P  The  senti- 
ment of  this  verse,  viz.  the  obligation  of  the  law  is  not  perpetual,  is  ex- 
pressed very  generally,  and  not  precisely  in  the  form  suited  to  the  illus- 
tration which  follows.  The  illustration  is,  that  the  law  of  marriage 
ceases  to  bind  a  woman  when  her  husband  is  dead  ;  but  Paul  here  says, 
the  law  has  dominion  over  a  man  so  long  as  he  lives.  The  general 
thought  is  all  that  is  intended  to  be  here  expressed  ;  and  this  received  its 
form  probably  before  the  precise  illustration  was  determined  in  the  apos- 
tle's own  mind.  It  is  not  necessarily  to  be  inferred  from  the  expression, 
I  speak  to  them  that  know  the  law,  that  the  Jewish  Christians  are  specially 
referred  to.  The  principle  stated  being  so  familiar,  the  apostle  might 
assume  that  any  class  of  his  readers  knew  enough  of  law  to  be  aware  of 
its  truth. 

The  original  leaves  it  doubtful  whether  the  last  clause  should  be  ren- 
dered "  so  long  as  he  lives,"  or  "  so  long  as  it  lives."  The  former  ren- 
dering is  to  be  preferred,  1.  Because  the  expressions  the  law  lives,  and 
the  law  dies,  are  very  unusual,  and,  in  the  writings  of  Paul,  unexampled, 
if  the  doubtful  case  in  v.  6  be  excepted.  2.  'I'his  interpretation  is  more 
consistent  with  the  language  of  v.  2,  "The  woman  is  bound  to  her  hus- 
band so  long  as  he  lives ;  but  if  her  husband  be  dead,"  &c.  3.  Through- 
out the  passage  it  is  said  that  we  are  dead  to  the  law  (v.  4),  delivered 
from  the  law  (v.  6),  and  not  that  the  law  is  dead  to  us. 

The  word  law,  in  this  verse,  seems  to  be  used  generally.  It  is  not 
the  law  of  Moses,  nor  the  moral  law,  nor  the  law  of  marriage  particu- 
larly ;  but  the  apostle's  remark  has  reference  to  laws  in  general.  The 
particular  example  is  given  in  vs.  2,  3,  and  the  application  of  the  remark 
to  Christians  is  made  in  v.  4. 

(2)  For  the  woman  which  hath  an  husband  is  bound  by  the  law  to 
her  husband  as  long  as  he  liveth,  &c.  This  and  the  following  verse  are 
a  simple  illustration  of  the  principle  stated  in  v.  1.  The  word  for,  there- 
fore, has  the  force  which  it  so  often  has  in  such  connexions,  being 
equivalent  to  for  example.  *  Death  puts  an  end  to  the  authority  of  laws  ; 
for  example,  the  woman,'  &c.  Is  bound  by  the  law.  The  law  here  is 
the  law  of  marriage,  and  not  especially  or  exclusively  the  Mosaic  law 
on  that  subject.  But  if  her  husband  be  dead,  she  is  loosed  from  the  law 
of  her  husband.  "  Law  of  her  husband ;"  i.  e.  the  law  which  bound 
her  to  her  husband  ;  or  which  respects  her  husband.  The  words  ren- 
dered loosed  from  are  so  used  in  v.  6.  Gal.  5  :  4. 

(3)  So  then  if,  while  her  husband  liveth,  she  be  married  to  another  man, 
she  shall  be  called  an  adulteress,  &c.  This  verse  is  but  an  amplifica- 
tion of  the  preceding  one.  *  While  her  husband  lives,  the  woman  is 
bound  by  the  law  of  marriage,  for  she  is  an  adulteress  if,  while  he  is 
living,  she  be  married  to  another  man ;  but  that  his  death  frees  her  from 

O 


158  ROMANS  7:  1—6. 

this  law  is  plain,  for  she  is  not  regarded  as  an  adulteress  if,  her  husband 
being  dead,  she  be  married  to  another.'  Laws,  therefore,  are  not  neces- 
sarily of  perpetual  obligation. 

(4)  Wherefore,  my  brethren,  ye  also  are  become  dead  to  the  law  by 
the  body  of  Christ,  that  ye  should  be  married  to  another,  &c.  Where- 
fore,  this  being  the*  case,  i.  e.  as  the  woman  is  freed  from  the  marriage 
contract  by  the  death  of  her  husband,  in  like  manner  ye  are  free  from  the 
law  by  the  death  of  Christ.  And,  moreover,  as  the  woman  is  at  liberty 
to  marry  the  second  time,  so  are  we.  Freed  from  the  demands  of  our 
first  husband  (the  law),  we  may  be  married  to  him  who  has  risen  from 
the  dead.  That  is,  freed  from  the  law,  as  a  rule  of  justification,  we  are 
at  liberty  to  accept  of  the  offers  of  gratuitous  acceptance  made  to  us  in 
the  gospel.  As  before  remarked,  the  meaning  of  the  apostle  would  be 
rather  plainer  if,  at  the  beginning  of  this  verse,  instead  of  saying  ye  are 
dead  to  the  laiu,  he  had  said  the  law  is  dead  to  you.  As  the  woman  is 
freed  from  her  husband  when  he  dies,  so  are  we  freed  from  the  law  when 
it  is  dead,  i.  e.  satisfied.  But  this  is  a  mode  of  expression  which  he 
seems  studiously  to  avoid.  And  the  idea  of  our  freedom  from  the  law 
is  as  well  expressed  by  saying  ive  are  dead  to  the  law,  as  by  saying 
the  law  is  dead  to  us.  In  illustration  of  the  phrase  dead  to  the  law, 
see  V.  6.  ch.  6  :  2.  Gal.  2:19.  1  Pet.  2  :  24. 

We  are  said  to  be  freed  from  the  law  by  the  body  of  Christ,  i.  e.  by 
the  sacrifice  of  that  body,  or  by  his  death.  Paul  uses  the  expressions 
"the  blood  of  Christ,"  Eph.  2:  13;  "his  flesh,"  Eph.  2:  15;  "his 
cross,"  V.  16  ;  "  his  body,"  Col.  1  :  22,  as  all  equivalent  to  "his  death." 
The  demands  of  the  law  are  satisfied  by  the  sufferings  of  Christ.  He 
has  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  by  bearing  its  penalty  or 
curse  in  our  place.  Gal.  3  :  13.  To  those,  therefore,  who  are  in  Christ 
Jesus,  the  law,  as  a  covenant  of  works,  or  rule  of  justification,  is  no 
longer  in  force,  Rom.  8  :  2. 

That  ye  should  be  married  to  another,  to  him  ivho  is  raised  from  the 
dead.  This  clause  expresses  the  design  of  the  redemption  just  spoken 
of.  We  are  not  delivered  from  the  law,  that  we  should  be  free  from  all 
restraint,  or  be  our  own  masters,  but  that  we  should  be  united  to  him 
through  whom  alone  the  original  design  of  the  law,  the  sanctification  of 
men,  can  be  effected.  As  the  apostle  had  spoken  of  Christ,  by  implica- 
tion at  least,  as  being  dead,  when  he  spoke  of  his  body,  there  was  a  pro- 
priety in  his  saying  tvho  is  raised  from  the  dead.  It  is  a  living  hus- 
band, to  use  the  apostle's  figure,  which  every  believer  has  in  Christ ; 
and,  as  he  ever  lives,  the  union  is  perpetual ;  there  is  to  be  no  more 
either  divorce  or  death 

That  we  should  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God.  This  is  the  design  of 
our  union  with  Christ.  The  object,  here  expressed  in  a  manner  suited 
to  the  figurative  language  of  the  context,  is  the  same  which  is  so  often 
elsewhere  stated  as  the  grand  design  of  the  redemption  of  Christ,  viz. 
the  sanctification  of  his  people. 


ROMANS  7  :  1—6.  159 

The  law  of  which  the  apostle  is  here  speaking,  is  evidently  not  the 
Mosaic  law  merely.  It  is  not  the  doctrine  of  this,  and  of  similar  pas- 
sages, that  Christ  has  delivered  us  from  the  Jewish  economy,  and  left 
us  at  liberty  to  embrace  the  simpler  and  more  spiritual  system  of  the 
gospel.  The  law  of  which  he  speaks  is  that  which  says,  "  The  man 
which  doeth  these  things  shall  live  by  them,"  ch.  10:  5.  Gal.  3:  10; 
that  is,  which  requires  perfect  obedience  as  the  condition  of  acceptance. 
It  is  that  which  says,  "  Thou  shalt  not  covet,*'  v.  7 ;  without  which  sin 
is  dead,  v.  8;  which  is  holy,  just,  and  good,  v.  12;  which  is  spiritual, 
V.  14,  &c.  &c.  It  is  that  law  by  whose  works  the  Gentiles  cannot  be 
justified,  ch.  3  :  20  ;  from  whose  curse  Christ  has  redeemed  not  the  Jews 
only,  but  also  the  Gentiles,  Gal.  3:  13,  14.  It  is  plain,  therefore,  that 
Paul  here  means  by  the  law  the  will  of  God,  as  a  rule  of  duty,  no  mat- 
ter how  revealed.  From  this  law,  as  prescribing  the  terms  of  our  ac- 
ceptance with  God,  Christ  has  delivered  us.  Since,  however,  as  re- 
marked above  (ch.  6:  14),  the  Old  Testament  economy,  including  th 
Mosaic  institutions,  was  the  form  in  which  the  law,  as  law,  was  ever 
present  to  the  minds  of  the  apostle  and  his  readers,  and  since  deliver- 
ance from  the  legal  system,  as  such,  involved  deliverance  from  that 
economy,  it  is  not  wonderful  that  reference  to  that  dispensation  should 
often  be  made;  or  that  Paul  should  at  times  express  the  idea  of  deliver- 
ance from  the  law,  as  such,  by  terms  which  would  seem  to  express  only 
deliverance  from  the  particular  form  in  which  it  was  so  familiar  to  his 
readers. 

(5)  For  when  we  were  in  thejlesh,  the  motions  of  sins,  which  were  hy  the 
law,  &c.  The  apostle  having,  in  v.  4,  stated  that  believers  are  freed  from 
the  law  by  the  death  of  Christ,  in  this  and  the  following  verses  he  shows 
the  necessity  and  the  consequences  of  this  change.  '  We  have  been  thus 
freed,  because  formerly,  when  under  the  law,  we  brought  forth  fruit  unto 
death  ;  but  now,  being  free  from  the  law,  we  are  devoted  to  the  service 
of  God.'  The  force  of /or  at  the  beginning  of  this  verse,  is  therefore 
obvious.  The  former  legal  state  of  believers  is  here  described  by  saying, 
they  were  in  the  flesh.  In  the  language  of  Scripture,  the  word  flesh  ex- 
presses, in  such  connexions,  one  or  the  other  of  two  ideas,  or  both  con- 
jointly. First,  a  state  of  moral  corruption,  as  in  ch.  8  :  8,  "Those  that 
are  in  the  flesh  ;"  secondly,  a  carnal  state,  i.  e.  a  state  in  which  men  are 
subject  to  external  rites,  ceremonies,  and  commands  ;  or,  more  generally, 
a  legal  state,  inasmuch  as  among  the  Jews,  that  slate  was  one  of  subjec- 
tion to  such  external  rites.  Gal.  3:3,"  Having  begun  in  the  spirit,  are 
ye  now  made  perfect  by  the  flesh  ]"  Compare  Gal.  4  :  9,  where  the  ex- 
pression "weak  and  beggarly  elements"  is  substituted  for  the  phrase 
"  the  flesh,"  see  Rom.  4:1.  In  the  present  case,  both  ideas  appear  to 
be  included.  The  meaning  is,  '  When  in  your  unrenewed  and  legal  state.' 
The  opposite  condition  is  described  (v.  6)  as  a  state  of  freedom  from  the 
law  ;  which,  of  course,  shows  that  the  second  of  the  two  ideas  mentioned 


160  ROMANS  7:  1—6. 

above,  was  prominent  in  the  apostle's  mind  when  he  used  the  words  "in 
the  flesh." 

TTie  motions  of  sins,  i.  e.  emotions  or  exercises  of  sin,  for  sinful  feelings. 
Which  were  by  the  law.  The  obvious  ellipsis  in  this  clause  may  be  vari- 
ously supplied.  '  Which  are  made  known  by  the  law,'  according  to  ch. 
3  :  20  ;  or  ♦  which  are  caused  to  abound  by  the  law,'  according  to  ch.  5  : 
20;  or,  '  which  are  produced  by  the  law,'  according  to  v.  8,  of  this  chap- 
ter. The  last  mode  of  explanation  is  decidedly  to  be  preferred,  because 
more  consistent  with  the  context,  and  with  Paul's  object,  which  required 
him  to  show  that  the  law,  instead  of  producing  holiness,  was  incidentally 
the  cause  of  sin. 

Did  work  in  our  members  to  bring  forth  sin  unto  death.  In  our  members 
is  little  more  than  a  paraphrase  for  in  us  ;  see  ch.  6  :  12,  13.  To  bring 
forth.  The  infinitive  here  expresses  the  result ;  *  Sin  so  wrought  that 
we  brought  forth  fruit,'  &;c.  Fruit  unto  death.  Death  is  here  again  per- 
sonified ;  to  death,  the  advantage  of  death;  as  opposed  to  the  words  to 
God,  at  the  close  of  v.  4.  The  fruit  which  sin  produced  belonged,  as  it 
were,  to  death.  Such  was  our  condition  when  under  the  law.  Our  pre- 
sent state  is  described  in  the  next  verse. 

(6)  But  now  we  are  delivered  from  the  law,  that  being  dead  ;  wherein 
we  were  held,  &c.  Our  former  state  was  one  in  the  flesh  ;  our  present  is  one 
0^  freedom,  from  the  law.  If  the  common  reading  be  adopted,  the  mean- 
ing of  this  passage  is,  '  We  are  delivered  from  the  law,  it  being  dead,'  &c. 
But  the  true  reading  requires  the  second  clause  to  be  rendered  thus, 
we  being  dead.  The  meaning  then  is,  '  We  are  now  delivered  from  the 
law,  being  dead  in  respect  to  that  by  which  we  were  formerly  held,'  &c. 
There  is  apparently  a  transposition  of  the  members  of  the  sentence  ;  their 
natural  order  seems  to  be  this,  '  But  now,  being  dead  as  it  respects  the 
law,  by  which  we  were  formerly  held,  we  are  free,  so  that,'  &c. 

That  we  should  serve  in  newness  of  spirit,  and  not  in  oldness  of  the  letter. 
The  result  of  deliverance  from  the  law  is  here  described.  The  phrases 
nevjness  of  spirit,  and  oldness  of  the  letter,  according  to  a  common  Hebrew 
idiom,  mean  a  new  spirit  and  old  letter.  The  word  rendered  letter  means 
something  written  ;  then  the  law  as  written,  or  the  written  law;  ch.  2  : 
27.  2  Cor.  3:  6,  "  ministers  of  the  New  Testament ;  not  of  the  letter, 
but  of  the  spirit  (i.  e.  not  of  the  law,  but  of  gospel)  ;  for  the  letter  killeth, 
but  the  spirit  giveth  life  ;"  i.  e.  the  law  condemns,  but  the  gospel  secures 
life.  The  sense  of  this  passage,  therefore,  is,  '  We  serve  God  in  the  exer- 
cise of  a  new  spirit,  or  in  a  new  spiritual  state  ;  and  not  in  bondage  to  the 
old  written  law,  or  in  our  old  legal  state.'  It  is  evident  that  the  clause 
in  the  oldness  of  the  letter  is  substituted  by  the  apostle  for  the  expressions 
under  the  law  and  in  the  flesh ,-  all  which  he  uses  to  describe  the  legal  and 
corrupt  condition  of  men,  prior  to  the  believing  reception  of  the  gospel^ 
Believers,  then,  are  free  from  the  law  by  the  death  of  Christ;  they  are 
no  longer  under  the  old  covenant  which  said,  "  Do  this,  and  live ;"  bu 


ROMANS  7:  1—6.  161 

are  introduced  into  a  new  and  gracious  state,  in  which  they  are  accepted, 
not  for  what  they  do,  but  for  what  has  been  done  for  them.  Instead  of 
having  the  legal  and  slavish  spirit,  which  arose  from  their  former  relation 
to  God,  they  have  the  feelings  of  children. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  The  leading  doctrine  of  this  section  is  that  taught  in  v.  14  of  the 
preceding  chapter,  viz.  that  believers  are  not  under  a  legal  system  ;  and 
that  the  consequence  of  their  freedom  is  not  the  indulgence  of  sin,  but  the 
service  of  God,  v.  4. 

2.  This  deliverance  from  the  law  is  not  effected  by  setting  the  law 
aside,  or  by  disregarding  its  demands;  but  by  those  demands  being  satis- 
fied in  the  person  of  Christ,  v.  4.  ch.  10:  4. 

3.  As  far  as  we  are  concerned,  redemption  is  in  order  to  holiness.  We 
are  delivered  from  the  law  that  we  may  be  united  to  Christ,  and  we  are 
united  to  Christ,  that  we  may-bring  forth  fruit  unto  God,  v.  4,  &c. 

4.  Legal  or  self-righteous  strivings  after  holiness  can  never  be  success- 
ful. The  relation  in  which  they  suppose  the  soul  to  stand  to  God,  is, 
from  its  nature,  productive  of  evil,  and  not  of  holy  feelings,  v.  5. 

5.  Actual  freedom  from  the  bondage  and  penalty  of  the  law,  is  always 
attended  and  manifested  by  a  filial  temper  and  obedience,  v.  6. 

6.  The  doctrine  concerning  marriage,  which  is  here  incidentally  taught, 
or  rather  which  is  assumed  as  known  to  Jews  and  Christians,  is,  that  the 
marriage  contract  can  only  be  dissolved  by  death.  The  only  exception 
to  this  rule  is  given  by  Christ,  Matt.  5  :  32  ;  unless  indeed  Paul,  in  1  Cor. 
7  :  15,  recognises  wilful  and  final  desertion  as  a  sufficient  ground  of 
divorce,  vs.  2,  3. 


1.  As  the  only  way  in  which  we  can  obtain  deliverance  from  the  law 
is  by  the  death  of  Christ,  the  exercise  of  faith  in  him  is  essential  to  holi- 
ness. When  we  lose  our  confidence  in  Christ,  we  fall  under  the  power 
of  the  law,  and  relapse  into  sin.  Every  thing  depends,  therefore,  upon 
our  maintaining  our  union  with  Christ.  "  Without  me,  ye  can  do  nothing," 
V.  4. 

2.  The  only  evidence  of  union  with  Christ  is  bringing  forth  fruit  unto 
God,  V.  4. 

3.  As  deliverance  from  the  penalty  of  the  law  is  in  order  to  holiness,  it 
is  vain  to  expect  that  deliverance,  except  with  a  view  to  the  end  for 
which  it  is  granted,  v.  4. 

4.  Conversion  is  a  great  change;  sensible  to  him  that  experiences  it, 
and  visible  to  others.  It  is  a  change  from  a  legal  and  slavish  state,  to 
one  of  filial  confidence;  manifesting  itself  by  the  renunciation  of- the 
service  of  sin,  and  by  devotion  to  the  service  of  God,  v.  6. 

5.  A  contract  so  lasting  as  that  of  marriage,  and  of  which  the  con- 

o2 


162  ROMANS  7:  7—13. 

sequences  are  so  important,  should  not  be  entered  into  lightly,  but  in  the 
fear  of  God,  vs.  2,  3. 

6.  The  practice,  common  in  many  of  the  Protestant  countries  of 
Europe,  and  in  many  states  of  this  Union,  of  granting  divorces  on  the 
ground  of  cruel  treatment,  or,  '  incompatibility  of  temper,'  is  in  direct 
contravention  of  the  doctrines  and  precepts  of  the  Bible  on  this  subject, 
vs.  2,  3. 

CHAP.  7:  7—13. 

7What  shall  we  say  then  1  Is  the  law  sin  1  God  forbid.  Nay,  I  had 
not  known  sin,  but  by  the  law  :  for  I  had  not  known  lust,  except  the  law 
had  said.  Thou  shalt  not  covet.  ^But  sin,  taking  occasion  by  the  com- 
mandment, wrought  in  me  all  manner  of  concupiscence.  For  without  the 
law  sin  was  dead.  ^For  I  was  alive  without  the  law  once  :  but  when  the 
commandment  came,  sin  revived,  and  I  died.  "And  the  commandment, 
which  was  ordained  to  life,  I  found  to  be  unto  death.  "For  sin,  taking 
occasion  by  the  commandment,  deceived  me,  and  by  it  slew  me.  ^^  vVhere- 
fore  the  law  is  holy,  and  the  commandment  holy,  and  just,  and  good. 
"Was  then  that  which  is  good  made  death  unto  mel  God  forbid.  But 
sin,  that  it  might  appear  sin,  working  death  in  me  by  that  which  is  good  ; 
that  sin  by  the  commandment  might  become  exceeding  sinful. 

ANALYSIS. 

Paul,  having  shown  that  we  must  be  delivered  from  the  law  in  order 
to  our  justification  (chs.  3,  4),  and  that  this  freedom  was  no  less  neces- 
sary in  order  to  sanctification  (ch.  6.  ch.  7  :  1 — 6),  comes  now  to  explain 
more  fully  than  he  had  previously  done,  what  was  the  use  and  effect  of 
the  law.  This  is  the  object  of  the  residue  of  this  chapter.  The  apostle 
shows  first,  vs.  7 — 13,  that  the  law  produces  conviction  of  sin,  agreeably 
to  his  declaration  in  ch.  3 :  20 ;  and,  secondly,  vs.  14 — 25,  that  it 
enlightens  the  believer's  conscience,  but  cannot  destroy  the  dominion  of 
sin.  This,  section,  therefore,  may  be  advantageously  divided  into  two 
parts.  Paul  introduces  the  subject,  as  is  usual  with  him,  by  means  of  an 
idea  intimately  associated  with  the  preceding  discussion.  He  had  been 
insisting  on  the  necessity  of  deliverance  from  the  law.  Why  1  Because 
it  is  evil  1  No ;  but  because  it  cannot  produce  holiness.  It  can  produce 
only  the  knowledge  and  the  sense  of  sin  ;  which  are  the  constituents  of 
genuine  conviction.  These  two  effects  are  attributed  to  the  operation  of 
the  law,  the  former  in  v.  7,  the  latter  in  v.  8.  These  ideas  are  amplified 
in  vs.  9,  10,  11.  The  inference  is  drawn  in  v.  12,  that  the  law  is  good  ; 
and  in  v.  13,  that  the  evil  which  it  incidentally  produces  is  to  be  attri- 
buted to  sin,  the  exceeding,  turpitude  of  which  becomes  thus  the  more 
apparent. 


ROMANS  7  :  7—13.  16B 


COMMENTARY. 

(7)  WTiat  shall  tve  say  then?  Is  the  law  sin?  Far  from  it,  &c.  The 
apostle  asks  whether  it  is  to  be  inferred,  either  from  the  general  doctrine 
of  the  preceding  section,  respecting  the  necessity  of  deliverance  from  the 
law,  or  from  the  special  declaration  made  in  v.  5,  respecting  the  law's 
producing  sin,  that  the  law  was  itself  evil  ?  He  answers,  by  no  means  ; 
and  shows,  in  the  next  verse,  that  the  effect  ascribed  to  the  law,  in  v.  5, 
is  merely  incidental.  Is  the  law  sin  ?  means  either.  Is  the  law  evil  1  or  is 
it  the  cause  of  sin;  see  Micah  1:5,'  Samaria  is  the  sin  of  Jacob.'  7'he 
former  is  best  suited  to  the  context,  because  Paul  admits  that  the  law  is 
incidentally  productive  of  sin. 

Nay,  I  had  not  knoiun  sin,  but  by  the  law.  The  word  rendered  nay 
very  often  signifies  on  the  contrary,  and  may  be  so  translated  here.  '  So 
far  from  the  law  being  evil,  it  is,  on  the  contrary,  of  the  greatest  use,  for 
I  had  not  known  sin,  but  by  the  law.'  I  had  not  known  sin.  The  will 
of  God,  which  is  the  rule  of  right  and  wrong,  is  the  source  of  all  know- 
ledge of  what  is  morally  good  or  evil.  This  law  is  revealed  partially  in 
the  very  constitution  of  our  nature;  and  more  fully  in  the  Scriptures. 
The  more  enlarged  and  spiritual  our  views  of  this  law,  the  clearer  our 
knowledge  of  the  extent  and  evil  of  sin. 

For  I  had  not  known  lust,  except  the  law  had  said  thou  shall  not  covet. 
The  meaning  of  this  member  of  the  sentence  depends  upon  the  sense 
given  to  for.  It  maybe  confirmatory,  or  merely  illustrative.  If  the 
former,  the  sense  is,  '  I  had  not  known  sin,  but  by  the  law, /or  I  had  not 
known  that  the  mere  inward  desire  was  evil,  had  not  the  law  said,'  &c. 
Or  retaining  the  same  force  of  this  particle,  '  I  had  not  known  the  real 
inward  fountain  of  sin,  viz.  concupiscence,  except  the  law  had  said,'  &c. 
According  to  this  view,  which  is  the  one  most  commonly  adopted,  the 
word  rendered  lust  refers  to  the  corrupt  disposition  of  the  heart,  considered 
as  the  root  or  source  of  sin.  If  for  {yap)  be  considered  as  merely  illus- 
trative, the  sense  is  this  :  '  I  had  not  known  sin  except  by  the  law  ;  for 
example,  I  had  not  known  concupiscence,  had  not  the  law  said,'  &c. 
According  to  this  view,  concupiscence  does  not  differ  from  the  more  gene- 
ral term  sin,  except  as  being  adduced  as  an  example  of  the  evils  to  the 
knowledge  of  which  the  law  leads.  It  seems  probable  that  the  first  inter- 
pretation is  the  more  correct  of  the  two.  At  least,  that  the  apostle  design- 
edly referred  to  an  inward,  spiritual  sin,  in  order  the  more  clearly  to  con- 
firm his  declaration.  That  certain  outward  actions  were  wrong,  he  and 
all  other  Pharisees  knew,  and  were  ready  to  admit;  but  that  God  took 
cognizance  of  the  heart,  and  of  its  most  secret  workings,  and  even  of  its 
habits  or  dispositions,  they  were  less  disposed  to  imagine ;  and  were, 
therefore,  deplorably  ignorant  of  the  extent  and  turpitude  of  their  depravity 
in  his  sight. 

(8)  But  sin,  taking  occasion  by  the  commandment,  wrought  in  me  ah 
manner  of  concupiscence^  &c.    This  verse  is  not  to  be  connected  logically 


]64  ROMANS  7:  7—13. 

with  the  last  member  of  the  preceding  one.  It  is  rather  co-ordinate  with 
it,  and  is  a  virtual  answer  to  the  question,  Is  the  law  evil  ?  To  this 
question  Paul  replies,  in  v.  7,  No  ;  on  the  contrary,  it  leads  to  the  know- 
ledge of  sin.  And  then  in  v.  8,  he  adds,  it  is  not  evil,  in  itself,  although 
incidentally  the  cause  of  sin  in  us.  Sin,  in  this  passage,  must  mean  the 
sinful  disposition  of  the  heart,  or  our  corrupt  nature,  because  it  is  said  to 
produce  all  kinds  of  concupiscence ;  that  is,  every  kind  of  evil  desire. 
These  desires  are  the  fruit  and  evidence  of  this  corrupt  state  of  the  heart. 
Taking  occasion.  The  word  rendered  occasion  is  used  for  any  thing 
which  affords  an  advantage  for  the  performance  of  any  thing  else.  The 
word  occasion  or  opportunity,  referring  properly  to  mere  fitness  of  time, 
is  not  so  appropriate  a  translation  as  the  more  general  term  advantage. 

The  words  hy  the  commandment  may  be  connected  either  with  the  pre- 
ceding or  the  following  clause.  If  the  former  mode  of  construction  be 
adopted,  the  passage  means, '  Sin,  taking  advantage  of  the  commandment, 
wrought  in  me,'  &c.  If  the  latter,  '  Sin,  taking  advantage,  by  the  com- 
mandment wrought  in  me,'  &c.  Our  version  is  commonly  pointed 
according  to  the  former  method,  with  a  comma  after  commandment.  The 
original,  however,  is  in  favour  of  the  latter  ;  and  so  is  the  context.  Paul's 
object  is  to  show  that  hy  the  law  sin  is  excited  and  aroused ;  and,  in  the 
following  verses,  he  uses  similar  expressions,  as  "  by  it  slew  me,"  v.  11; 
"  working  death  in  me  by  that  which  is  good,"  v.  13.  The  apostle, 
therefore,  teaches,  that  the  eifect  of  the  law  operating  upon  our  corrupt 
hearts,  is  to  arouse  their  evil  passions,  and  to  lead  to  the  desire  of  the 
very  object  which  the  law  forbids.  This  is  a  matter  of  universal  experi- 
ence. The  same  sentiment  is,  therefore,  often  met  with  in  profane  writers. 
*  We  strive  for  what  is  forbidden,  and  desire  what  is  denied,'  has  become 
a  proverb. 

For^  without  the  law,  sin  was  dead.  To  say  that  a  thing  is  dead,  is  to 
say  that  it  is  inactive,  unproductive  and  unobserved.  All  this  may  be 
said  of  sin  prior  to  the  operation  of  the  law.  It  is  comparatively  inopera- 
tive and  unknown  until  aroused  and  brought  to  light  by  the  law.  There 
are  two  effects  of  the  law  included  in  this  declaration,  the  excitement  of 
evil  passions,  and  the  discovery  of  them.  Calvin  makes  the  latter  much 
the  more  prominent.  But  the  context,  and  the  analogous  declarations  in 
the  succeeding  verses,  seem  to  require  the  former  to  be  considered  as  the 
*most  important.  The  law,  then,  is  not  evil,  but  it  produces  the  convic- 
tion of  sin,  by  teaching  us  what  sin  is,  v.  7,  and  by  making  us  conscious 
of  the  existence  and  power  of  this  evil  in  our  own  hearts,  v^  8. 

In  the  following  verses,  9 — 11,  we  find  an  amplification  and  confirma- 
tion of  the  sentiment  of  vs.  7,  8,  showing  more  fully  the  operation  of  the 
law.  Paul  is  here  describing  his  own  experience.  This  is  obvious,  not 
only  because  he  uses  the  first  person  singular  throughout  the  passage, 
but  because  the  exercises  here  detailed  are  more  or  less  distinctly  those 
of  every  true  Christian ;  and,  consequently  those  of  the  apostle.  Paul 
describes,  in  figurative  language,  his  state  before  the  operation  of  the  law 


ROMANS  7;  7—13.  169 

upon  his  mind,  and  after  it  began  to  produce  its  proper  effect.  In  the 
former  state,  he  was  alive,  and  sin  was  dead ;  in  the  latter,  sin  became 
alive,  and  he  died. 

(9)  For  I  was  alive  without  the  law  once  ;  hut  when  the  command' 
ment  came,  sin  revived,  and  I  died.  The  word  for  connects  this  verse 
logically  with  the  two  preceding.  '  The  law  produces  conviction  of  sin, 
fur  I  was  alive,'  &c.  Without  the  law,  i.  e.  the  law  being  absent,  as  it 
is  opposed  to  the  expression,  when  the  commandment  came.  This  phrase 
describes  the  state  of  Paul,  and  of  every  Christian,  before  conviction  of 
sin.  He  was  without  a  proper  apprehension  of  the  nature  and  extent  of 
the  law,  which  is  real  ignorance  of  it.  Of  course,  as  the  law  is  the  rule 
of  duty,  he  was  unaware  of  the  number  and  magnitude  of  his  sins.  In 
this  state  he  was  alive.  Life  is  a  common  figure,  not  only  for  activity, 
but  happiness,  including,  among  other  ideas,  those  of  peace  and  security. 
The  meaning  here  is,  'I  was  at  peace  with  myself;  unaware  of  the 
dreadful  opposition  of  my  heart  to  the  nature  and  requirements  of  God; 
and  consequently  unapprehensive  of  the  danger  to  which,  by  that  oppo- 
sition, I  was  exposed.' 

But  when  the  commandment  came,  &c.  That  is,  when  I  obtained  pro- 
per views  of  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  law,  then  two  consequences 
followed,  sin  revived,  and  I  died.  As  by  sin's  being  dead  was  meant 
that  it  was  inactive  and  unobserved,  so  by  its  reviving  must  be  intended, 
that  it  was  roused  from  its  torpor;  its  opposition  to  all  that  is  good  was 
excited  by  the  clear  exhibition  of  the  law,  and  consequently  it  was  no 
longer  an  unobserved  or  unknown  evil.  The  sense  of  its  existence, 
power,  and  turpitude,  became  clear  and  strong.  The  result  of  this  effect 
of  the  law  Paul  expresses  by  saying,  and  I  died.  That  is,  '  I  became 
miserable ;  because  aware  of  the  evil  that  was  in  me,  and  of  the  danger 
to  which  I  was  exposed.'  Self-satisfaction  and  sense  of  security  fled 
before  the  light  of  the  law. 

(10)  .ind  the  commandment  which  was  unto  life,  I  found  to  be  unto 
death.  Life  and  death  are  here,  as  often  elsewhere,  opposed  to  each 
other;  the  one  standing  for  happiness,  the  other  for  misery.  The  com- 
mandment, which  was  designed  and  adapted  to  lead  men  to  happiness 
and  the  true  end  of  their  being,  becomes  productive  of  misery,  by 
making  them  sensible  of  their  corruption  and  exposure  to  condemnation. 
Throughout  the  whole  of  this  passage  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  Paul 
attributes  to  the  law,  not  only  the  knowledge  of  sin,  but  the  excitement 
of  it.  It  produces  "  the  motions  of  sin,"  or  sinful  desires,  v.  5  ;  it  works 
all  manner  of  concupiscence,  v.  8 ;  it  revives  sin,  v.  9  ;  it  seduces  into 
sin,  V.  11.  In  the  death,  therefore,  which  it  produces,  the  idea  of  sin  as 
well  as  misery  is  to  be  included ;  and  in  the  life,  to  which  it  was  de- 
signed to  lead,  the  ideas  of  holiness  and  happiness  are  both  embraced. 

(11)  For  sin,  taking  occasion  by  the  commandment,  deceived  me,  and 
hy  it  slew  me.  This  verse  assigns  the  reason  of  the  law's  being  the 
cause  of  death,  and  hence  is  connected  by  for  with  v.  10.    The  proper 


166  ROMANS  7:  7—13. 

pointing  of  this  passage  is  doubtful.  In  our  version  it  is  common! j 
pointed  thus,  "  For  sin,  taking  occasion  by  the  commandment,  deceived 
me,"  &c.  But,  for  the  reasons  assigned  on  v.  8,  the  words  hy  the  corw- 
mandment  should  be  connected  with  the  subsequent  rather  than  with  the 
antecedent  clause.  It  was  by  the  commandment  that  sin  deceived,  &c. 
The  law  is  therefore  the  cause  of  death,  not  directly,  or  in  virtue  of  its 
own  nature  or  tendency,  but  incidentally  only.  Sin  makes  it  such  ;  for 
the  evil  disposition  of  the  heart  avails  itself  even  of  the  law  to  lead  us 
into  sin.  The  word  rendered  to  deceive,  vi\e?ix\s  also  to  seduce;  which 
sense  is  better  suited  to  this  passage.  The  idea,  therefore,  is  the  same 
as  that  before  expressed,  '  our  corrupt  hearts  make  even  the  law  the 
means  of  causing  us  to  sin.'  And  hy  it  slew  me,  i.  e.  rendered  me 
miserable,  at  once  unholy  and  unhappy.  '  It  made  me  sensible  that  I 
was  sunk  in  hopeless  corruption  and  ruin.' 

(12)  Wherefore  the  law  is  holy,  and  the  commandment  holy,  just, 
and  good.  The  conclusion  from  the  foregoing  exhibition  of  the  eflfect 
of  the  law  is,  that  it  is  not  to  be  blamed  for  the  evil  which  it  inciden- 
tally produces.  In  v.  9  Paul  uses  the  words  lata  and  commandment  as 
perfectly  synonymous ;  here  they  are  distinguished.  The  law  collect- 
ively, and  each  command  separately,  are  alike  holy,  &c.  The  word 
holy,  in  the  first  clause,  expresses  general  excellence,  freedom  from  all 
fault ;  and  contains  all  that  is  expressed  by  the  three  terms  of  the  second 
clause,  where  holy  means  pure,  just  means  reasonable,  and  good,  bene- 
volent, or  tending  to  happiness.     The  law  is  in  every  way  excellent. 

(13)  Was  then  that  which  is  good  made  death  unto  me?  God  for- 
bid, &c.  With  a  view  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  its  being  supposed 
that  he  thought  disrespectfully  of  this  holy  law  of  God,  the  apostle  again 
denies  that  it  is  directly  the  cause  of  sin,  but  shows  that  our  own  "cor- 
ruption is  the  real  source  of  the  evil.  Made  death,  agreeably  to  what 
has  been  said  above,  means  '  made  the  cause  of  sin  and  misery.'  The 
law  is  not  this  cause. 

But  sin,  that  it  might  appear  sin,  worJcing  death  in  m,e  hy  that  which 
is  good;  that  sin  hy  the  commandment  might  become  exceeding  sinful. 
The  grammatical  construction  of  this  part  of  the  verse  is,  in  the  original, 
very  doubtful,  and,  in  our  version,  inaccurate.  It  will  be  observed  that 
it  consists  of  two  clauses,  each  beginning  with  that;  "that  it  might 
appear"  and  "  that  it  might  become."  The  latter  of  these  clauses  may 
depend  upon  the  former;  and  the  participle  working  be  taken  Hebraically 
for  a  verb.  The  sense  is  then  plain  and  good.  'The  law  is  not  the 
cause  of  death,  but  sin,  that  it  might  appear  sin,  wrought  death  in  me  by 
that  which  is  good  ;  that  thus  it  might  become  exceeding  sinful.'  This, 
however,  does  violence  to  the  text,  as  the  participle  cannot  properly  be 
taken  here  as  a  verb.  Others,  therefore,  make  the  clauses  co-ordinate, 
both  depending  upon  the  first  words  of  the  sentence.  '  The  law  is  not 
the  cause  of  death,  but  sin  is,  that  it  might  appear  sin,  working  death  in 
me  by  that  which  is  good  ;  that  is,  that  it  might  become  exceeding  sin 


ROMANS  7:  7—13.  167 

ful,'  &c.  That  it  might  appear  worJctng,  i.  e.  might  be  apprehended 
in  its  true  character  from  its  effects.  Sin,  therefore,  and  not  the  law,  is 
the  cause  of  death.  And  the  turpitude  and  enormity  of  sin  are  made  the 
more  conspicuous  by  the  law,  inasmuch  as  it  makes  even  that  which  is 
in  itself  good  a  source  of  evil. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  The  law,  although  it  cannot  secure  either  the  justification  or  sanc- 
tification  of  men,  answers  an  essential  part  in  the  economy  of  salvation. 
It  enlightens  conscience  and  secures  its  verdict  against  a  multitude  of 
evils,  which  we  should  not  otherwise  have  recognised  as  sins.  It,  there- 
fore, produces  that  state  of  mind  which  is  a  necessary  preparation  for  the 
reception  of  the  gospel,  vs.  7,  8. 

2.  Conviction  of  sin,  that  is,  an  adequate  knowledge  of  its  nature,  and 
a  sense  of  its  power  over  us,  is  an  indispensable  part  of  evangelical  reli- 
gion. Before  the  gospel  can  be  embraced  as  a  means  of  deliverance 
from  sin,  we  must  feel  that  we  are  involved  in  corruption  and  misery, 
V.  9. 

3.  The  law  of  God  is  a  transcript  of  his  own  nature;  holy,  just,  and 
good.  The  clearer  our  views  of  its  extent  and  excellence,  the  deeper 
will  be  our  sense  of  our  own  unworthiness,  vs.  9,  12. 

4.  Sin  4s  exceeding  sinful.  Its  turpitude  is  manifested  by  the  fact 
that  the  exhibition  of  holiness  rouses  it  into  opposition  ;  and  that  the 
holy  law  itself  is  made  incidentally  to  increase  its  virulence  and  power, 
V.  13. 

5.  Sin  is  very  deadly.  It  extracts  death  from  the  means  of  life,  and 
cannot  exist  unattended  by  misery,  vs.  10 — 13. 

REMARKS. 

1.  How  miserable  the  condition  of  those  whose  religion  is  all  law  ! 
vs.  7—13. 

2.  Though  the  law  cannot  save  us,  it  must  prepare  us  for  salvation. 
It  should,  therefore,  be  carefully  and  faithfully  preached,  both  in  its  ex- 
tent and  authority,  vs.  7,  8. 

3.  It  must  be  wrong  and  productive  of  evil,  so  to  describe  the  nature 
of  evangelical  religion,  as  to  make  the  impression  that  it  is  a  mere 
change  in  the  main  object  of  pursuit;  the  choice  of  one  source  of  hap- 
piness in  preference  to  another.  It  is  a  return  to  God,  through  Jesus 
Christ,  for  the  purpose  of  being  delivered  from  sin  and  devoted  to  his 
service.  Its  first  step  is  the  conviction  that  we  are  sinners,  and,  as  such, 
dead,  i.  e.  helpless,  corrupt,  and  miserable,  vs.  7,  13. 

4.  Nothing  is  more  inconsistent  with  true  religion  than  self-compla- 
cency. Because  the  more  holy  we  are,  the  clearer  our  views  of  God's 
law ;  and  the  clearer  our  views  of  the  law,  the  deeper  our  sense  of  sin 
and,  consequently,  the  greater  must  be  our  humility,  vs.  12,  13. 

5.  If  our  religious  experience  does  not  correspond  with  that  of  the 


1G8  ROMANS  7:  14—25. 

people  of  God,  as  detailed  in  the  Scriptures,  we  cannot  be  true  Chris- 
tians. Unless  we  have  felt  as  Paul  felt,  we  have  not  the  religion  of 
Paul,  and  cannot  expect  to  share  his  reward,  vs.  7 — 13. 

CHAP.  7 :  14—25. 

**For  we  know  that  the  law  is  spiritual :  but  I  am  carnal,  sold  undei 
sin.  *^For  that  which  I  do  I  allow  not :  for  what  I  would,  that  do  I  not ; 
but  what  I  hate,  that  do  I.  ^•'If  then  I  do  that  which  I  would  not,  I  con- 
sent unto  the  law  that  it  is  good.  *7Now  then  it  is  no  more  I  that  do  it, 
but  sin  that  dwelleth  in  me.  *^For  I  know  that  in  me  (that  is,  in  my 
flesh)  dwelleth  no  good  thing:  for  to  will  is  present  with  me;  hnt  how 
to  perform  that  which  is  good  I  find  not.  ^^For  the  good  that  I  would  I 
do  not :  but  the  evil  which  I  would  not,  that  I  do.  ^ojsfp^  jf  j  ^q  ^\^^^^  j 
would  not,  it  is  no  more  I  that  do  it,  but  sin  that  dwelleth  in  me.  ^^I  find 
then  a  law,  that,  when  I  would  do  good,  evil  is  present  with  me.  ^ap^j 
I  delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man  :  ^sbut  i  q^q  another 
law  in  my  members,  warring  against  the  law  of  my  mind,  and  bringing 
me  into  captivity  to  the  lav^r  of  sin  which  is  in  my  members.  ^O 
wretched  man  that  I  am  !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this 
death  1  ^^I  thank  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  So  then  with 
the  mind  I  myself  serve  the  law  of  God  ;  but  with  the  flesh  the  law  of 
sin. 

ANALYSIS. 

The  apostle,  having  exhibited  the  operation  of  the  law  in  producing 
conviction  of  sin,  comes  now  to  show  its  effect  on  the  mind  of  the  be- 
liever. It  cannot  secure  his  sanctification.  The  cause  of  this  inability 
is  not  in  the  evil  nature  of  the  law,  which  is  spiritual,  v.  14 ;  but  in  the 
power  of  indwelling  sin,  "I  am  carnal,"  says  the  apostle,  "sold  under 
sin,"  V.  14.  As  this  is  not  only  a  strong,  but  an  ambiguous  expression, 
Paul  immediately  explains  his  meaning.  He  does  not  intend  to  say  that 
he  was  given  up  to  the  willing  service  of  sin ;  but  that  he  was  in  the 
condition  of  a  slave,  whose  acts  are  not  always  the  evidence  of  his  in- 
clination. His  will  may  be  one  way,  but  his  master  may  direct  him 
another.  So  it  is  with  the  believer.  He  does  what  he  hates,  and  omits 
to  do  what  he  approves,  v.  15.  This  is  a  description  of  slavery,  and  a 
clear  explanation  of  what  is  intended  by  the  expression  "  sold  under 
sin."  There  are  two  obvious  inferences  to  be  drawn  from  this  fact.  The 
one  is,  that  the  believer,  while  denying  the  sufficiency  of  the  law,  and 
maintaining  the  necessity  of  deliverance  from  it,  bears  an  inward  testimony 
to  its  excellence.  He  feels  and  admits  that  the  law  is  good,  v.  16;  for  it 
is  the  law  which  he  approves,  and  the  transgression  of  it  which  he  hates 
as  stated  in  the  preceding  verse.  The  second  inference  is,  that  acts  thus 
performed  are  not  the  true  criterion  of  character.  "  Now  then  it  is  no 
more  t  that  do  it,  but  sin  that  dwelleth  in  me,"  v.  17.     The  acts  of  a 


ROMANS  7:  14—25.  1G9 

slave  are  indeed  his  own  acts,  but  not  being  performed  with  the  full 
assent  and  consent  of  his  soul,  they  are  not  fair  tests  of  the  real  state  of 
his  feelings.  The  propriety  and  truth  of  this  representation  of  the  state 
of  the  believer,  and  of  the  influence  of  the  law,  is  reasserted  and  con- 
firmed in  vs.  18 — 20.  The  law  presents  duty  clearly  ;  the  heart  and 
conscience  of  the  believer  assent  to  its  excellence;  but  what  can  the  law 
do  in  destroying  the  power  of  our  inward  corruptions  1  These  evil  prin- 
ciples remain,  as  far  as  the  law  is  concerned,  in  full  force.  The  authori- 
tative declaration  that  a  thing  must  not  be  done,  does  not  destroy  the 
inclination  to  do  it. 

The  result,  therefore,  is,  that  notwithstanding  the  assent  of  the  mind 
to  the  excellence  of  the  law,  the  power  of  sin  remains,  so  that,  when 
we  would  do  good,  evil  is  present  with  us,  v.  21.  We  delight  in  the 
law  after  the  inward  man,  but  this  does  not  destroy  the  power  of  sin  in 
our  members,  vs.  22,  23.  This  inward  conflict  the  law  can  never  end. 
It  only  makes  us  sensible  of  our  helpless  and  degraded  condition,  v.  24  ; 
and  drives  us  to  seek  victory  whence  alone  it  can  be  obtained,  i.  e.  as  the 
gift  of  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  v.  25. 

COMMENTARY. 

(14)  For  we  know  that  the  law  is  spiritual ;  but  I  am  carnal,  sold 
under  sin.  The  connexion  between  this  verse  and  the  preceding  pas- 
sage seems  to  be  this.  It  had  been  asserted,  in  v.  5,  that  the  law  was 
incidentally  the  cause  of  sin.  The  result,  however,  was  no  reflection 
on  the  law  ;  for  it  was  holy,  just,  and  good,  v.  12.  As  the  fact  that  the 
law  excites  sin  is  consistent  with  its  being  good,  so  is  also  the  fact  that 
it  cannot  destroy  the  power  of  sin.  The  law  indeed  is  spiritual,  but  we 
are  carnal.  The  fault  is  again  in  us.  According  to  this  view, /or,  at  the 
beginning  of  this  verse,  is  rather  a  particle  of  transition,  or,  at  most,  of 
illustration ;  and  not  of  confirmation  or  inference.  Paul,  according  to 
our  version,  says,  TVe  know ;  the  original,  however,  admits  of  the  ren- 
dering /  ^noit>  indeed;  which  is  more  consistent  with  the  use  of  the 
first  person  singular  throughout  the  chapter.  The  former  reading  is 
commonly  adopted. 

The  law  is  spiritual.  The  word  spiritual  is  here  expressive  of  gene- 
ral, excellence,  and  includes  all  that  is  meant  by  holy,  just,  and  good,  in 
V.  12.  This  use  of  the  word  is  easily  accounted  for.  The  Spirit  of  God 
is  the  source  of  all  excellence  ;  hence,  the  term  spiritual,  when  applied 
to  any  thing  of  which  he  is  the  author,  implies  that  it  derives  its  nature 
and  character  from  the  Spirit.  Carnal,  on  the  other  hand,  is  applied  to 
any  thing  which  derives  its  nature  and  character  from  the  flesh.  Hence, 
*' things  of  the  Spirit,"  "fruits  of  the  Spirit,"  &c.,  are  good  things,  or 
good  fruits,  ch.  8 :  5.  Gal.  5  :  22 ;  and  "  things  of  the  flesh,"  «  works  of 
the  flesh,"  &c.,  are  evil  works.  As  it  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Scriptures 
that  men  are  entirely  depraved,  or  destitute  of  holiness,  in  their  natural 
state,  the  word  Jlesh,  which  is  the  scriptural  designation  of  men  (as  in 

P 


170  ROMANS  7:  14—25. 

the  frequent  expressions,  "all  flesh,"  "  no  flesh  living,"  &c.),  is  used  for 
that  which  is  corrupt,  or  for  human  nature  considered  apart  from  divine 
influence,  ch.  8  :  1 — 11.  John  3  :  5,  6,  and  other  passages,  too  numerous 
to  be  cited.  To  be  carnal,  therefore,  when  spoken  of  men,  means  to  be 
under  the  government  of  the  flesh,  or  of  natural  principles  merely  ;  and 
to  be  spiritual  is  to  be  under  the  government  of  the  Spirit.  When  spoken 
of  things,to  be  carnal  is  to  be  corrupt;  to  be  spiritual  is  to  be  holy  or 
excellent.  The  law  is  thus  excellent.  It  is  an  emanation  from  the  Spi- 
rit of  God ;  a  transcript  of  his  nature,  and  of  course  partakes  of  his  cha- 
racter. But  we  are  carnal,  under  the  government  of  a  corrupt  nature. 
There  is,  therefore,  a  necessary  opposition  between  the  character  and 
requirements  of  the  law  and  our  hearts.  This,  and  not  any  evil  in  the 
law,  is  the  true  reason  why  the  law  cannot  effect  our  deliverance  from 
sin.  The  evil  is  too  deep  to  be  destroyed  by  the  mere  objective  pre- 
sentation of  excellence. 

Sold  under  sin,  that  is,  a  slave  to  sin.  As  slaves  were  procured  by 
purchase,  a  person  sold  to  another  was  his  slave.  The  expression  in 
the  text  is  ambiguous.  It  may  mean  that  one  is  entirely  devoted  to  the 
service  of  sin,  as  in  v.  7  of  the  preceding  chapter.  In  this  sense  it  is 
entirely  inapplicable  to  the  Christian.  Paul  says,  expressly,  the  be- 
liever is  in  this  sense  no  longer  the  servant  (Gr.  slave)  of  sin,  but  the 
servant  of  righteousness.  The  phrase  in  question,  however,  may  also 
mean  that  one  is  subject  to  a  power  which,  of  himself,  he  cannot  resist; 
against  which  he  may  and  does  struggle,  and  from  which  he  desires  to 
be  free;  but  which,  notwithstanding  all  his  efforts,  still  asserts  its  au- 
thority. This  is  a  state  of  bondage.  It  is  in  this  sense  that  Paul  says 
he  was  sold  under  sin.  This  appears  clearly  from  the  following  verses, 
which  are  explanatory  of  this  clause. 

(15)  For  that  which  I  do,  I  allow  not,  &c.  This  is  an  explanation 
and  confirmation  of  the  preceding  declaration.  '  I  am  sold  under  sin, 
for  that  which  I  do,  I  allow  not,'  &c.  The  original  word,  rendered  1 
allow,  properly  signifies  /  know,  and  as  it  is  used  in  different  senses  in 
the  Scriptures,  its  meaning  in  this  case  is  a  matter  of  doubt.  Retaining 
its  ordinary  sense,  the  word  may  be  used  here  popularly,  as  in  the  com- 
mon phrase,  '  I  know  not  what  I  do,'  expressive  of  the  absence  of  a  calm 
and  deliberate  purpose,  and  of  the  violence  of  the  impulse  under  which 
one  acts.  Or  the  meaning  may  be  that  what  is  done,  is  done  thought- 
lessly. As,  however,  the  word  often  expresses  the  idea  of  approbation, 
the  interpretation  best  suited  to  the  context  is,  '  What  I  do,  that  I  ap- 
prove not;'  compare  Ps.  1  :  6,  "The  Lord  knoweth  (i.  e.  approves)  the 
way  of  the  righteous  ;"  Ps.  36  :  10.  1  Cor.  8  :  3,  &c. 

For  what  I  would,  that  do  I  not,-  but  what  I  hate,  that  do  1.  This 
is  a  further  description  of  this  state  of  bondage.  As  the  expressions 
what  I  would  and  tohat  I  hate  are  in  antithesis,  the  former  must  mean 
what  I  love  or  delight  in.  This  use  of  the  Greek  word  is  accommo- 
dated to  the  corresponding  Hebrew  term,  and  occurs  several  times  in  the 


ROMANS  7  :  14—25.  171 

New  Testament.  Matt.  27  :  43,  "  Let  him  deliver  him,  if  he  will  have 
him,  i.  e.  if  he  delights  in  him;"  Matt.  9:  13.  12  :  7.  Heb.  10:  5,  8, 
and  Ps.  21  :  9.  39  :  7,  in  the  Septuagint.  The  word  will,  therefore,  does 
not  express  so  much  a  mere  determination  of  the  mind,  as  a  state  of  the 
feelings  and  judgment.  '  What  I  love  and  approve,  that  I  omit;  what  I 
hate  and  disapprove,  that  I  do.'  "Whether  the  conflict  here  described  is 
that  which,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  exists  in  every  man,  between  the 
natural  authoritative  sense  of  right  and  wrong,  and  his  corrupt  inclina- 
tions ;  or  whether  it  is  peculiar  to  the  Christian,  must  be  decided  by 
considerations  drawn  from  the  whole  description,  and  from  the  connex- 
ion of  this  passage  with  the  preceding  and  succeeding  portions  of  the 
apostle's  discourse.  It  is  enough  to  remark  here,  that  every  Christian 
can  adopt  the  language  of  this  verse. 

Two  consequences  flow  from  this  representation  of  the  experience  of 
the  Christian.  First,  the  fault  is  felt  and  acknowledged  to  be  his  own  ; 
the  law  is  not  to  be  blamed,  v.  16.  Second,  this  state  of  feeling  is  con- 
sistent with  his  being  a  Christian,  v.  17. 

(16)  If  then  I  do  that  which  I  would  not,  I  consent  unto  the  law 
that  it  is  good.  Paul  here  asserts  that  his  acting  contrary  to  the  law 
was  no  evidence  that  he  thought  the  law  evil ;  for  what  he  did,  he  disap- 
proved. But  to  disapprove  and  condemn  what  the  law  forbids,  is  to 
assent  to  the  excellence  of  the  law.  There  is  a  constant  feeling  of  self- 
disapprobation,  and  a  sense  of  the  excellence  of  the  law  in  the  Chris- 
tian's mind.  He  is,  therefore,  never  disposed  to  blame  the  extent  or 
severity  of  the  law,  but  admits  the  fault  to  be  in  himself.  /  consent  to, 
literally,  I  speak  with,  agree  with,  concede  to. 

(17)  How  then  it  is  no  more  I  that  do  it,  hut  sin  that  dwelleih  in 
me.  Now  then,  that  is,  under  these  circumstances,  or,  this  being  the 
case.  Or  the  meaning  may  be  hut  now,  i.  e.  since  I  became  a  Christian. 
The  former  explanation  is  to  be  preferred  on  account  of  the  connexion 
of  this  verse  with  v.  15,  from  which  this  passage  is  an  inference.  '  If 
the  case  be  so,  that  I  am  sold  under  sin  and  am  its  unwilling  slave;  if  I 
do  what  I  disapprove,  and  fail  to  accomplish  what  I  love  ;  it  is  clear  that 
it  is  not  properly  and  fully  I  that  do  it,  my  real  self;  my  better  feelings 
or  renovated  nature  is  opposed  to  what  the  law  forbids.'  This  is  not 
said  as  an  exculpation,  but  to  exhibit  the  extent  and  power  of  indwelling 
sin,  which  it  is  beyond  our  own  power,  and  beyond  the  power  of  the 
law,  to  eradicate  or  eff'ectually  control.  This  feeling  of  helplessness  is 
not  only  consistent  with  a  sense  and  acknowledgment  of  accountability, 
but  is  always  found  united  with  genuine  self-condemnation  and  peni- 
tence. The  apostle's  object,  therefore,  is  not  to  apologize  for  sin,  but  to 
show  that  the  experience  detailed  in  v.  15  is  consistent  with  his  being  a 
Christian.  'If  it  is  true  that  I  really  approve  and  love  the  law,  and 
desire  to  be  conformed  to  it,  I  am  no  longer  the  willing  slave  of  sin  ;  to 
the  depth  and  power  of  the  original  evil  is  to  be  attributed  the  fact  that 
I  am  not  entirely  delivered  from  its  influence.' 


1'72  ROMANS  7  :  14—25. 

(18,  19,  20)  These  verses  contain  an  amplification  and  confirmation 
of  the  sentiment  of  the  preceding  verses.  They  reassert  the  existence 
and  explain  the  nature  of  the  inward  struggle  of  which  the  apostle  had 
been  speaking.  '  I  am  unable  to  come  up  to  the  requirements  of  the 
law,  not  because  they  are  unreasonable,  but  because  I  am  corrupt;  there 
is  no  good  in  me.  I  can  approve  and  delight  in  the  exhibitions  of  holi- 
ness made  by  the  law,  but  full  conformity  to  its  demands  is  more  than  I 
can  attain.  It  is  not  I,  therefore,  my  real  and  lasting  self,  but  this  in- 
trusive tyrant  dwelling  within  me,  that  disobeys  the  law.'  This  strong 
and  expressive  language,  though  susceptible  of  a  literal  interpretation, 
which  would  make  it  teach  not  only  error  but  nonsense,  is  still  perfectly 
perspicuous  and  correct,  because  accurately  descriptive  of  the  common 
feelings  of  men.  Paul  frequently  employs  similar  modes  of  expression. 
When  speaking  of  his  apostolic  labours  he  says,  "  Yet  not  I,  but  the 
grace  of  God,  which  was  with  me,"  1  Cor.  15  :  10.  And  in  Gal.  2  :  20 
he  says,  "  I  live,  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me."  As  no  one  sup- 
poses that  the  labours  and  life  here  spoken  of  were  not  the  labours  and 
life  of  the  apostle,  or  that  they  did  not  constitute  and  express  his  moral 
character;  so  no  Christian  supposes  that  the  greatness  and  power  of  his 
sin  frees  him  from  its  responsibility,  even  when  he  expresses  his  help- 
less misery  by  saying,  with  the  apostle,  "  It  is  not  I,  but  sin  that  dvvell- 
eth  in  me." 

(18)  For  I  know  that  in  me,  that  is,  in  my  flesh,  there  dwelleth  no  good 
thing,  &c.  Paul  is  here  explaining  how  it  is  that  there  is  such  a  contra- 
diction between  his  better  principles  and  his  conduct,  as  just  described. 
The  reason  is,  that  in  himself,  he  was  entirely  depraved,  "  In  me,  that  is, 
in  my  flesh,  there  dwelleth  no  good  thing."  As  Paul  is  here  speaking 
of  himself,  he  limits  the  declaration  that  there  was  no  good  in  him.  In 
its  full  sense,  as  he  was  a  renewed  man,  this  could  not  be  true ;  he  there- 
fore adds,  "  in  my  flesh."  Agreeably  to  the  explanation  given  above,  v. 
14,  these  words  evidently  mean,  '  in  my  nature  considered  apart  from 
divine  influence,'  i.  e.  '  in  me  viewed  independently  of  the  effects  pro- 
duced by  the  Spirit  of  God.' 

For  to  will  is  present  with  me,  but  to  perform,  that  which  is  good  I  find 
not.  To  will  indeed.  As  will  is  here  opposed  to  performance,  it  must 
have  a  somewhat  different  sense  from  that  which  it  has  in  v.  15,  where 
it  is  opposed  to  the  word  to  hate.  There  it  means  to  approve  or  love ; 
here  it  means  to  purpose  or  desire.  '  I  have  the  purpose  or  desire  to  obey 
the  law,  but  the  performance  I  find  not.'  I  find  not,  i.  e.  I  do  not  find  to 
be  present ;  I  cannot  attain. 

(19)  For  the  good  that  I  would,  I  do  not;  hut  the  evil  that  I  would 
not,  that  I  do.  This  is  a  repetition,  nearly  in  the  same  words,  of  v.  15. 
Paul  reasserts  that  he  was  unable  to  act  up  to  his  purpose  and  desires. 
For  example,  he  doubtless  desiied  to  love  God  with  all  his  heart  and  at 
all  times;  but  how  constantly  was  his  love  colder,  and  less  operative 
than  the  law  demands.    This  verse  is,  therefore,  but  an  amplification  of 


ROMANS   7;  14—25.  173 

the  last  clause  of  v.  18.     /  ivould,  means  either  /  approve  or  love^  as  in  v. 
15;  or  I  purpose^  as  in  v.  18. 

(20)  Now  if  I  do  that  I  xoould  not^  it  is  no  more  I  that  do  it,  but 
sin  that  dwelleth  in  me.  The  same  conclusion  from  the  same  premises 
as  in  V.  17.  '  The  things  which  I  do,  when  contrary  to  the  characteristic 
desires  and  purposes  of  my  heart,  are  to  be  considered  as  the  acts  of  a 
slave.  They  are  indeed  my  own  acts,  but  not  being  performed  with  the 
full  and  joyful  purpose  of  the  heart,  are  not  to  be  regarded  as  a  fair  crite- 
rion of  character.' 

(21)  I  find  then  a  law,  that  when  I  would  do  good,  evil  is  present 
with  me.  This  verse  has  been  subjected  to  a  greater  variety  of  interpre- 
tations than  any  other  in  the  chapter,  or  perhaps  in  the  whole  epistle. 
The  construction  in  the  original  is  doubtful ;  and  besides  this  difficulty, 
there  is  no  little  uncertainty  as  to  the  sense  in  which  the  word  law  is  to 
be  here  taken.  The  question  is,  whether  Paul  means  the  law  of  God, 
of  which  he  has  been  speaking  throughout  the  chapter,  or  whether  he 
uses  the  word  in  a  new  sense,  for  a  rule,  course,  or  law  of  action.  Our 
translators  have  assumed  the  latter.  If  the  former  sense  of  the  word  be 
preferred,  the  passage  may  be  thus  interpreted.  'I  find,  therefore,  that 
to  me  wishing  to  act  according  to  the  law,  i.  e.  to  do  good,  evil  is  present 
■with  me.'  The  considerations,  how^ever,  in  favour  of  the  second  expla- 
nation of  the  word  law  appear  to  be  decisive.  1.  The  other  interpreta- 
tion does  not  afford  a  sense  suited  to  the  context,  as  appears  from  Paul's 
own  explanation  of  his  meaning  in  the  following  verses.  'I  find,'  he 
says,  '  this  law,  that  while  wishing  to  do  good,  I  do  evil,  v.  21 ;  that  is, 
I  find  that  while  I  delight  in  the  law  of  God,  after  the  inward  man,  there 
is  another  law  in  my  members  which  causes  me  to  sin,'  vs.  22,  23.  Here 
it  is  evident,  that  the  apostle  means  to  explain  what  he  intended  by  say- 
ing in  V.  21,  that  he  found  or  experienced  a  law  which  caused  him  to  go 
counter  to  his  better  judgment  and  desires.  2.  Having  used  the  word 
law  by  itself  for  the  divine  law  throughout  the  chapter,  he,  for  the  first 
time,  in  v.  22,  calls  it  "  the  law  of  God,"  to  mark  the  distinction  between 
the  law  intended  in  v.  21,  and  that  intended  in  v.  22.  3.  This  sense  of 
the  word  is  not  unusual,  it  occurs  repeatedly  in  the  immediately  succeed- 
ing verses. 

The  meaning  of  the  verse  is,  'I  find,  therefore,  this  law,  that  to  me 
wishing  to  do  good,  evil  is  present.'  This  passage  thus  expresses  the 
result  at  which  the  apostle  had  arrived.  There  was  this  inward  conflict 
in  his  mind  between  good  and  evil  which  the  law  could  not  terminate. 
He  found,  that  while  wishing  to  do  good,  he  was  still  subject  to  evil, 
and  from  this  subjection  nothing  but  the  grace  of  God  could  deliver  him. 
This  is  more  fully  explained  in  the  following  verses. 

(22)  For  I  delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man,  &c. 
In  the  preceding  verse  Paul  had  said,  "1  would  do  good;"  the  same 
desire  after  conformity  to  the  requisitions  of  God  is  here  expressed  with 
more  distinctness.    /  delight  in  the  law  is  a  stronger  expression  than 

p2 


17^  ROMANS  7  :  14—25. 

« 

/  consent  to  if,  v.  16.  As  7,  in  the  language  of  the  apostle,  includes,  asr 
it  were,  two  persons,  the  new  and  the  old  man,  the  flesh  and  the  spirit, 
it  is  necessary  to  limit  the  proposition  whether  he  says,  "  In  me  there  is 
no  good  thing-,"  or  "  I  delight  in  the  law  of  God."  The  former  was  true 
only  as  to  his  flesh  ,•  the  latter  only  as  to  his  inward  man.  That  this 
phrase  is  here  expressive  of  real  complacency  and  delight  in  the  divine 
excellence  as  exhibited  in  the  law,  seems  evident  from  the  following 
reasons.  1.  Because  the  delight  is  restricted  to  the  inward  man,  and  not 
spoken  of  the  soul  generally.  As  the  term  inward  man  meant  at  first  the 
soul  in  opposition  to  the  body,  and  as  the  former  is  superior  to  the  latter, 
it  naturally  became  expressive  of  excellence,  and  when  opposed  to  some- 
thing in  the  soul,  indicates  its  renewed  or  better  feelings.  2.  When  the 
Bible  makes  this  opposition  between  a  good  and  evil  principle  in  man, 
it  uniformly  attributes  the  former  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  especially  when  any 
one  is  spoken  of  as  hating  evil  and  rejoicing  in  God.  3.  A  comparison 
of  the  terms  "  inward  man,"  "  law  of  the  mind,"  "  the  new  man,"  "  the 
Spirit,"  as  opposed  to  "  the  law  in  the  members,"  "  the  old  man,"  "  the 
flesh,"  shows  that  the  former  are  all  employed  to  designate  holy  feelings, 
or  the  soul  considered  as  renewed  ;  and  the  latter  the  reverse.  This  is 
peculiarly  obvious  from  what  is  said  in  v.  25,  where  "  the  flesh,"  is 
opposed  to  "the  law  of  the  mind."  4.  What  is  here  said  of  the  "inward 
man"  and  "  the  law  in  the  members,"  is  elsewhere  said  of  "  the  Spirit" 
and  "  the  flesh."  The  conflict  which  is  described  here,  is  described  also 
in  eh.  8 :  13.  Gal.  5  :  17.  Col.  3  :  9,  10;  precisely  the  same  things  are 
predicated  of  the  evil  principle  in  all  these  cases,  especially  in  the  pas- 
sage in  Galatians.  If,  therefore,  the  contest  between  "  the  flesh  and 
Spirit"  is  peculiar  to  the  renewed  man,  so  is  also  that  of  which  Paul 
Speaks  in  this  chapter. 

(23)  But  I  see  another  law  in  my  members  warring  against  the  law 
of  my  mind,  &c.  Another,  i.  e.  other  than  the  "  inward  man"  or  "  law 
of  the  mind."  With  the  one  he  delighted  in  the  law  of  God,  with  the 
other  he  was  opposed  to  it.  These  principles  war  against  each  other; 
exactly  as  in  Gal.  5  :  17,  the  flesh  and  spirit  are  represented  as  being  con- 
trary the  one  to  the  other,  so  that  we  cannot  do  the  things  that  we  would. 
This  law  is  said  to  be  in  my  members,  i.  e.  in  me ;  compare  ch.  6  :  13,  19. 
As  he  had  spoken  of  the  good  principle  as  "  the  inward  man,"  it  was 
natural  to  speak  of  the  evil  principle  as  being  outward.  In  viy  members^ 
therefore,  is  equivalent  to  "in  my  flesh,"  in  my  unsanctified  nature. 
What  in  vs.  17,  20  is  ascribed  to  '  indwelling  sin,'  is  here  attributed  to 
*  the  law  in  the  members.'  The  latter  is,  therefore,  but  a  figurative  expres- 
sion of  the  same  idea.  This  evil  is  called  a  law  from  its  controlling  influ- 
ence ;  it  regulates  the  conduct  as  though  it  had  a  right  to  do  so.  The 
law  of  the  mind  is  evidently  but  another  expression  for  the  "  inward  man." 
This  form  of  expression  was  adopted  from  its  natural  opposition  to  the 
phrase  "  law  in  the  members." 

Bringing  me  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin^  which  i$  in  my  members. 


ROMANS  7:  14—25.  175 

The  law  in  my  members  brings  me  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  ;  that 
is,  to  itself.  The  form  of  expression  is  rather  unusual,  although  tho 
sense  appears  sufficiently  plain  from  the  context.  There  does  not  seem 
to  be  any  adequate  reason  for  making  a  distinction  between  "  the  law  in 
the  members"  and  "  the  law  of  sin ;"  the  latter  designation  is  rather 
explanatory  of  the  former.  Indwelling  sin  wars  against  the  renewed  prin- 
ciple, and  brings  the  soul  into  captivity  to  itself.  This,  therefore,  is  but 
another  form  of  expressing  the  idea  that  he  was  sold  under  sin,  was  its 
unwilling  and  unhappy  captive,  constantly  resisting  its  power  and  long- 
ing for  deliverance  from  its  tyranny.     Hence  the  exclamation, 

(24)  0  wretched  man  that  I  am  !  Who  shall  deliver  me  from  the 
body  of  this  death.  The  expression  body  of  this  death  has  been  very 
variously  explained.  It  may  be  equivalent  to  this  body  of  death,  by  a 
very  common  Hebraism,  according  to  which  the  pronoun,  which  properly 
belongs  to  the  governing  word,  is  attached  to  the  word  governed  ;  as  idols 
of  his  silver,  mountain  of  his  holiness,  for  his  idols  of  silver,  &c.  "  This 
body  of  death"  may  then  mean,  this  body  which  is  destined  or  obnoxious 
to  death,  i.  e.  this  mortal  body.  But  it  is  clearly  foreign  from  the  spirit 
of  this  passage  to  consider  the  apostle  as  here  wishing  for  deliverance 
from  the  body.  He  had  been  speaking  of  the  burden  of  sin,  and  it  is 
from  this  burden  that  he  longs  to  be  delivered.  Body  of  death  is,  there- 
fore, better  understood  as  '  body  which  causes  death ;'  and  body  may  then 
be  taken  for  Jlesh,  i.  e.  corrupt  nature,  which,  however,  is  contrar)''  to 
usage  ;  or  it  may  be  taken  metaphorically  for  sin  considered  as  a  body. 
This  is  the  more  natural,  as  Paul  had  just  spoken  of"  members"  and  of 
sin  as  something  "outward,"  in  contrast  to  the  "inward  man."  The 
meaning  then  is, '  Who  will  deliver  me  from  this  body,  i.  e.  mass  of  death, 
this  weight  which  tends  to  death.'  This  strong  expression  of  the  hate- 
fulness  of  sin,  and  of  earnest  desire  to  be  delivered  from  it,  seems  to  be 
clearly  descriptive  of  the  exercises  of  a  renewed  mind. 

(25)  The  burden  of  sin  being  the  great  evil  under  which  the  apostle 
and  all  other  believers  labour,  from  which  no  efficacy  of  the  law,  and  no 
efforts  of  their  own  can  deliver  them,  their  case  would  be  entirely  hope- 
less but  for  help  from  on  high.  "  Sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you," 
is  the  language  of  the  grace  of  God  in  the  gospel.  The  conflict  which 
the  believer  sustains  is  not  to  result  in  the  victory  of  sin,  but  in  the 
triumph  of  grace.  In  view  of  this  certain  and  glorious  result,  Paul  ex- 
claims, I  thank  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  This  is  evidently  the 
expression  of  a  strong  and  sudden  emotion  of  gratitude.  As,  however, 
his  object  is  to  illustrate  the  operation  of  the  law,  it  would  be  foreign  to 
his  purpose  to  expatiate  on  a  deliverance  effected  by  a  different  power; 
he,  therefore,  does  not  follow  up  the  idea  suggested  by  this  exclamation, 
but  immediately  returns  to  the  point  in  hand. 

So  then,  with  the  mind,  I  myself  serve  the  law  of  God,  but  with  the 
Jlesh,  the  law  of  sin.  Mind  znA  Jlesh  are  here  opposed.  As  the  latter, 
according  to  the  constant  usage  of  the  apostle,  signifies  that  which  is  cor- 


176  ROMANS  7:  14—25. 

rupt  in  man,  his  unsanctified  nature ;  the  former  must  mean  here,  as  in 
V.  23,  that  nature  as  renewed.  In  every  believer,  and  in  no  one  else, 
there  are  these  two  principles,  grace  and  sin,  the  flesh  and  spirit,  the  law 
in  the  members  and  the  law  in  the  mind  ;  these  are  contrary  the  one  to 
the  other.  '  /  myself ^^  says  the  apostle,  or  '  I  one  and  the  same  man, 
feel  both  of  these  principles  within  me.  With  the  one,  I  serve  the  law 
of  God  ;  with  the  other,  the  law  of  sin,  that  is,  sin  itself,  which,  as  a  law 
in  my  members,  essays  to  control  my  conduct.'  This,  in  few  words,  is 
the  sum  of  what  the  apostle  has  said  from  v.  14.  Such  is  the  state  in 
which  the  law  leaves  the  believer;  such  the  effect  of  the  mere  objective 
and  preceptive  presentation  of  truth.  The  law  excites  in  the  unrenewed 
mind  opposition  and  hatred  ;  in  the  pious  mind  complacency  and  delight; 
but  in  neither  case  can  it  break  the  power  of  sin,  or  introduce  the  soul 
into  the  true  liberty  of  the  children  of  God. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  No  man  is  perfectly  holy  in  this  life,  at  least  the  apostle  was  not, 
according  to  his  own  confession,  when  he  wrote  this  account  of  his  expe- 
rience. That  Paul  throughout  the  latter  part  of  this  chapter  is  describing 
his  own  feelings  when  writing,  appears  evident  from  the  following  consi- 
derations. 

a.  Because  he  uses  the  first  person  and  the  present  tense  throughout 
the  passage,  and  says,  "  I  consent  to  the  law  that  it  is  good ;"  "  I  delight 
in  the  law  of  God  ;"  "  I  see  another  law  in  my  members ;"  "  0  wretched 
man  that  I  am;"  "So  theni  myself  serve  the  law  of  God ;"  &c.  &c. 
He  does  this  with  an  earnestness  and  warmth  which  show  that  he  is  ex- 
pressing the  feelings  of  his  own  heart.  No  example  is  to  be  found  in  all 
the  apostle's  writings  analogous  to  this,  if  it  be  assumed  that  he  is  here 
personating  another. 

h.  Because  there  is  nothing  in  this  passage  inconsistent  with  the  expe- 
rience of  the  holiest  of  men.  This  has  been  shown  in  the  commentary. 
The  inward  conflict  here  described  every  Christian  understands  and  expe- 
riences. 

c.  The  passage  contains  many  declarations  inconsistent  with  the  scrip- 
tural account  of  unrenewed  men.  The  Bible  does  not  speak  of  unrenewed 
men  as  consenting  to  the  law,  as  hating  sin  and  struggling  against  it, 
groaning  under  it  as  a  tyrant's  yoke,  as  delighting  in  the  law  of  God,  and 
doing  all  this  as  to  the  inward  or  new  man. 

d.  Because  the  conflict  which  is  here  described  is,  in  other  passages, 
portrayed  (for  example,  in  Gal.  5  :  17)  in  language  which,  by  common 
consent,  can  be  applied  only  to  true  Christians.  That  these  passages  refer 
to  the  same  subject  is  plain  not  only  from  the  fact  that  the  flesh  (or  corrupt 
nature)  is  mentioned  in  both  as  the  evil  principle,  but  because  the  descrip- 
tion in  both  cases  is  nearly  in  the  same  words.  There  the  flesh  is  said  to 
war  against  the  spirit,  so  that  we  cannot  do  the  things  that  we  would  ; 
here  the  flesh  or  the  law  in  the  members  is  said  to  war  against  the  law  in 


ROMANS  7:  14—25.  177 

the  mind,  so  as  to  bring  us  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin.  If  therefore 
the  one  passage  is  descriptive  of  the  experience  of  the  true  Christian,  so 
must  also  the  other  be. 

e.  The  context  requires  this  interpretation.  The  apostle  has  been  in- 
sisting on  the  necessity  of  our  being  free  from  the  law  in  order  to  our 
justification  and  sanctification.  To  show  that  his  doctrine  does  not 
involve  any  reflection  on  the  law,  it  was  necessary  to  show  why  the 
law  is  thus  inefficient.  In  order  to  accomplish  this  object  he  explains 
how  the  law  operates  on  the  depraved  heart.  It  arouses  conscience,  and 
it  provokes  opposition.  This  is  one  part  of  its  effect ;  but  not  the  whole. 
Even  when  the  heart  is  renewed,  the  law  cannot  by  itself  promote  holi- 
ness. It  presents  indeed  the  form  of  beauty,  and  the  soul  delights  in  it 
after  the  inward  man,  but  it  cannot  destroy  the  power  of  indwelling  sin. 
The  Christian,  therefore,  must  look  for  deliverance  not  to  the  law,  but  to 
the  grace  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ.  It  was  essential,  therefore,  to  the 
apostle's  object  to  show  that  even  for  the  true  Christian,  the  bondage  of 
the  law  is  unnecessary. 

2.  The  law  is  spiritual,  that  is,  perfect,  deriving  its  character  from  its 
author,  the  Spirit  of  God.  It  is,  therefore,  the  unerring  standard  of  duty, 
and  the  source  of  moral  light  or  knowledge.  It  should,  therefore,  be 
every  where  known  and  studied,  and  faithfully  applied  as  the  rule  of 
judgment  for  our  own  conduct  and  that  of  others.  Evangelical  doctrines, 
therefore,  which  teach  the  necessity  of  freedom  from  the  law  as  a  covenant 
of  works,  i.  e.  as  prescribing  the  terms  of  our  justification  before  God, 
derogate  neither  from  its  excellence  nor  its  authority.  It  is  left  to  do  its 
proper  work  in  the  economy  of  redemption ;  to  convince  of  sm,  and  be  a 
guide  to  duty,  v.  14,  &c. 

3.  The  mere  presentation  of  truth,  apart  from  the  influences  of  the  Spi- 
rit, can  neither  renew  nor  sanctify  the  heart,  v.  14,  &c. 

4.  Inability  is  consistent  with  accountability.  *'To  perform  that 
which  is  good  I  find  not,"  that  is,  I  cannot,  v.  18.  Gal.  5  :  17.  As  the 
Scriptures  constantly  recognise  the  truth  of  these  two  things,  so  are  they 
constantly  united  in  Christian  experience.  Every  one  feels  that  he  can- 
not do  the  things  that  he  would,  yet  is  sensible  that  he  is  guilty  for  not 
doing  them.  Let  any  man  test  his  power  by  the  requisition  to  love  God 
perfectly  at  all  times.  Alas,  how  entire  our  inability  !  yet  how  deep  our 
self-loathing  and  self-condemnation ! 

5.  The  emotions  and  affections  do  not  obey  a  determination  of  the 
will,  vs.  16,  18,  19,  21.  A  change  of  purpose,  therefore,  is  not  a  change 
of  heart. 

6.  The  Christian's  victory  over  sin  cannot  be  achieved  by  the  strength 
of  his  resolutions,  nor  by  the  plainness  and  force  of  moral  motives,  nor  by 
any  resources  within  himself.  He  looks  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  conquers 
in  his  strength.  In  other  words,  the  victory  is  not  obtained  in  the  way 
of  nature,  but  of  grace,  vs.  14 — 25. 


178  ROMANS  7  :  14—25. 


REMARKS. 

1.  As  the  believer's  life  is  a  constant  conflict,  those  who  do  not 
struggle  against  sin,  and  endeavour  to  subdue  it,  are  not  true  Christians, 
vs.  14—25. 

2.  The  person  here  described  hates  sin,  v.  15;  acknowledges  and  de- 
lights in  the  spirituality  of  the  divine  law,  vs.  16,  22;  he  considers  his 
corruption  a  dreadful  burden,  from  which  he  earnestly  desires  to  be  deli- 
vered, V.  24.  These  are  exercises  of  genuine  piety,  and  should  be  applied 
as  tests  of  character. 

3.  It  is  an  evidence  of  an  unrenewed  heart  to  express  or  feel  opposition 
to  the  law  of  God  as  though  it  were  too  strict ;  or  to  be  disposed  to  throw 
off  the  blame  of  our  want  of  conformity  to  the  divine  will  from  ourselves 
upon  the  law  as  unreasonable.  The  renewed  man  condemns  himself,  and 
justifies  God,  even  while  he  confesses  and  mourns  his  inability  to  con- 
form to  the  divine  requisitions,  vs.  14 — 25. 

4.  The  strength  and  extent  of  the  corruption  of  our  nature  are  seen 
from  its  influence  over  the  best  of  men,  and  from  its  retaining  more  or  less 
of  its  power,  under  all  circumstances,  to  the  end  of  life,  v.  25. 

5.  This  corruption,  although  its  power  is  acknowledged,  so  far  from 
being  regarded  as  an  excuse  or  palliation  for  our  individual  offences,  is 
recognised  as  the  greatest  aggravation  of  our  guilt.  To  say,  with  the 
feelings  of  the  apostle,  "  I  am  carnal,"  is  to  utter  the  strongest  language 
of  self-condemnation  and  self-abhorrence,  vs.  14 — 25. 

6.  Although  the  believer  is  never  perfectly  sanctified  in  this  life,  his 
aim  and  eff'orts  are  ever  onward  ;  and  the  experience  of  the  power  of  in- 
dwelling sin,  teaches  him  the  value  of  heaven,  and  prepares  him  for  the 
enjoyment  of  it,  vs.  14 — 25. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


CONTENTS. 


Paul  had  now  finished  his  exhibition  of  the  plan  of  salvation.  He  had 
shown  that  weare  justified  gratuitously,  that  is,  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ, 
without  the  works  of  the  law.  He  had  proved  that,  so  far  from  this  free- 
dom from  the  law  leading  to  the  indulgence  of  sin,  it  is  necessary  to  our 
sanctificalion,  because  the  law  is  as  inadequate  to  the  production  of  holi- 
ness in  the  sinner,  as  it  is  to  secure  pardon  or  acceptance  with  God. 
That  such  is  the  insufficiency  of  the  law,  he -proved  by  exhibiting  its  ope- 
ration both  on  the  renewed  and  unrenewed  mind.  Having  accomplished 
all  this,  he  leaves,  in  the  chapter  before  us,  the  field  of  logical  argument, 
and  enters  on  the  new  and  more  elevated  sphere  of  joyous  exultation. 


ROMANS  8:  1—11.  179 

As,  however,  there  is  always  warmth  of  feeling  in  the  apostle's  argu- 
ment, so  also  is  there  generally  logical  arrangement  in  his  highest  iri 
umphs. 

His  theme  here  is  the  security  of  believers.  The  salvation  of  those 
who  have  renounced  the  law  and  accepted  the  gracious  offers  of  the  gos- 
pel is  shown  to  be  absolutely  certain.  The  whole  chapter  is  a  series  of 
arguments  most  beautifully  arranged  in  support  of  this  one  point.  They 
are  all  traced  back  to  the  great  source  of  hope  and  security,  the  unmerited 
and  unchanging  love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus.  The  proposition  is  contained 
in  the  first  verse.  There  is  no  condemnation  to  those  who  are  in  Christ 
Jesus  ;  they  shall  never  be  condemned  or  perish. 

1.  Because  they  are  delivered  from  the  law;  all  its  demands  being 
fulfilled  in  them  by  the  mission  and  sacrifice  of  Christ,  vs.  1 — 4.  2.  Be- 
cause their  salvation  is  actually  begun  in  the  regeneration  and  sanctifica- 
tion  of  their  hearts  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  Those  who  have  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  have  the  Spirit  of  life,  vs.  5 — 11.  3.  Not  only  is  their  salvation 
begun,  but  they  are  the  children  of  God,  and  if  children  they  are  heirs, 
v.  12 — 17.  4.  The  afflictions  which  they  may  be  called  to  endure,  aie 
not  inconsistent  with  this  filial  relation  to  God,  because  they  are  utterly 
insignificant  in  comparison  with  the  glory  that  shall  be  revealed  in  them  ; 
and  under  these  afflictions  they  are  sustained  both  by  hope  and  the  inter- 
cessions of  the  Holy  Spirit,  vs.  18 — 28.  5.  Because  they  are  predestinated 
to  the  attainment  of  eternal  life;  of  which  predestination  their  present 
santification  or  effectual  calling  is  the  result,  and,  therefore,  the  evidence, 
vs.  28 — 30.  6.  Because  God  has  given  his  Son  to  die  for  them,  and 
thereby  to  secure  their  justification  and  salvation,  vs.  31 — 34.  7.  Because 
the  love  of  God  is  infinite  and  unchangeable ;  from  which  nothing  can 
separate  us,  vs.  35 — 39.  Thus  from  the  proximate  cause  of  salvation  or 
the  indwelling  of  the  Spirit,  does  the  apostle  rise  with  ever-increasing 
confidence  to  the  great  source  and  fountain  of  all  in  the  love  of  God. 

Although,  according  to  this  view  of  the  chapter,  it  is  one  whole,  it 
may,  for  the  sake  of  convenience,  be  divided  into  three  sections. 

CHAP.  8:  1—11. 

*There  is  therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ 
Jesus,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit.  ^For  the  law 
of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  hath  made  me  free  from  the  law  of 
sin  and  death.  ^Por  what  the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it  was  weak 
through  the  flesh,  God  sending  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful 
flesh,  and  for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh  :  "^that  the  righteousness  of 
the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after 
the  Spirit.  ^For  they  that  are  after  the  flesh  do  mind  the  things  of  the 
flesh ;  but  they  that  are  after  the  Spirit  the  things  of  the  Spirit.  •'For 
to  be  carnally  minded  is  death  ;  but  to  be  spiritually  minded  is  life  and 
peace.  ^Because  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God :  for  it  is  not 
subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be.    ''So  then  they  that  are 


180  ROMANS  8:  1—11. 

in  the  flesh  cannot  please  God.  ^But  ye  are  not  in  the  flesh,  but  in  the 
Spirit,  if  so  be  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwell  in  you.  Now  if  any  man 
have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his.  ^°And  if  Christ  he  in 
you,  the  body  is  dead  because  of  sin ;  but  the  Spirit  is  life  because  of 
righteousness.  ^^But  if  the  Spirit  of  him  that  raised  up  Jesus  from  the 
dead  dwell  in  you,  he  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead  shall  also 
quicken  your  mortal  bodies  by  his  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  you. 

ANALYSIS. 

This  section  contains  the  development  of  the  first  two  of  the  apostle's 
arguments  in  favour  of  the  position  that  those  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus 
shall  never  be  condemned.  The  immediate  reason  is  assigned  in  the 
second  verse,  they  are  delivered  from  the  law.  For  in  view  of  the  insuffi- 
ciency of  the  law,  God  sent  forth  his  Son  as  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  v.  3,  and 
thus  secured  the  justification  of  all  believers,  v.  4.  Being  thus  delivered 
from  the  law,  they  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit,  and  this 
possession  of  the  Spirit  is  incipient  salvation :  because  the  carnal  mind, 
which,  of  course,  all  who  are  in  the  flesh  possess,  is  death  ;  whereas  a 
mind  under  the  government  of  the  Spirit  is  life  and  peace.  Such  is  the 
very  nature  of  the  case.  Holiness  is  salvation,  vs.  5 — 7.  The  reason 
that  death  is  the  necessary  consequence  of  being  carnally  minded,  is  the 
essential  opposition  between  such  a  state  of  mind  and  God.  Hence, 
those  who  have  this  state  of  mind  are  the  objects  of  the  divine  displea- 
sure, vs.  7,  8.  As,  however,  believers  are  not  under  the  government  of 
the  flesh,  but  of  the  Spirit,  their  salvation  is  secured  even  to  the  resur- 
rection of  the  body.  For  if  the  Spirit  of  him  who  raised  up  Jesus  from 
the  dead  dwell  in  them,  he  shall  also  quicken  their  mortal  bodies,  vs. 
9—11. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1)  There  is,  therefore^  now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in 
Christ  Jesus.  It  is  a  matter  of  considerable  importance  to  the  under- 
standing of  this  chapter,  to  decide  what  is  its  precise  relation  to  the  pre- 
ceding part  of  the  epistle.  The  word  therefore  indicates  that  what  fol- 
lows is  an  inference :  but  from  what  1  From  the  conclusion  of  the 
seventh  chapter,  or  from  the  whole  previous  discussion?  The  latter 
seems  to  be  the  only  correct  view  of  the  context ;  because  the  fact  that 
there  is  no  condemnation  to  believers  is  no  fair  inference  from  what  is 
said  at  the  close  of  the  preceding  chapter.  Paul  does  not  mean  to  say, 
as  Luther  and  others  explain  v.  1,  there  is  nothing  worthy  of  condemna- 
tion in  the  Christian,  because,  with  his  mind,  he  serves  the  law  of  God. 
Nor  does  he  mean,  at  least  in  the  first  few  verses,  to  argue  that  believers 
shall  not  be  condemned,  because  they  are  freed  from  the  dominion  of  sin. 
But  the  inference,  in  the  first  verse,  is  the  legitimate  conclusion  of  all 
that  Paul  had  previously  established. ,  Believers  shall  be  saved,  because 
they  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace,  which  is  the  main  point  in 


ROMANS  8:  1—11.  181 

all  that  Paul  has  yet  said.  There  is,  therefore,  now,  i.  e.  under  these 
circumstances,  viz.  the  circumstances  set  forth  in  the  previous  part  of 
the  epistle. 

To  he  in  Christ  Jesus  signifies  to  be  intimately  united  to  him,  in  the 
way  in  which  the  Scriptures  teach  us  this  union  is  effected,  viz.  by 
having  his  Spirit  dwelling  in  us,  v.  9.  The  phrase  is  never  expressive 
of  a  merely  external  or  nominal  union.  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ  he  is 
a  new  creature,"  2  Cor.  5  :  17.  See  John  15  :  4,  &c.  1  John  2  :  5.  3 :  6. 
To  be  in  Christ,  and  to  have  fellowship  with  him,  are,  with  the  apostle 
John,  convertible  expressions;  see  also  Rom.  16:  7,  11. 

Who  walk  not  after  the  Jiesh,  but  after  the  Spirit.  These  words 
may  be  understood,  1.  as  descriptive  of  the  character  of  those  who  are 
in  Christ;  2.  as  assigning  the  reason  why  there  is  no  condemnation  to 
them,  viz.  because  they  walk  not,  &c. ;  or,  3.  as  describing  the  condi- 
tion on  which  the  blessing  depends,  '  There  is  no  condemnation  to  them, 
provided  they  walk  not,'  &c.  The  first  and  last  of  these  views  may  be 
united,  and  express  the  real  meaning  of  the  apostle. 

To  walk  after  is,  in  Scripture  language,  to  regulate  the  life  and  con- 
duct according  to,  to  follow  as  a  guide  or  leader,  Acts  21:  21.  Eph. 
2  :  2,  &c.  &c.  The  flesh  is  our  corrupt  nature.  Spirit  is  either  the  Holy 
Spirit,  or  as  opposed  to  ^/lesh,  our  hearts  considered  as  renewed.  The 
former  is  much  to  be  preferred,  for  this  is  the  sense  of  the  word  through 
the  whole  passage.  The  meaning  of  this  clause  then  is,  '  Those  who 
are  in  Christ  do  not  regulate  their  conduct  according  to  the  dictates  of 
their  own  corrupt  hearts,  but  follow  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit.' 
If  the  Spirit  dwells  in  us,  he  regulates  our  opinions,  feelings,  and  exter- 
nal conduct.  The  apostle  does  not  mean  to  say,  in  opposition  to  the  pre- 
ceding chapter  and  to  all  experience,  that  believers  never  yield  to  the 
suggestions  of  the  flesh ;  but  he  simply  expresses  what  is  the  constant 
aim  and  general  character  of  the  Christian's  life. 

(2)  For  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus,  &c.  This 
verse  assigns  the  reason  why  there  is  no  condemnation  to  those  who  are 
in  Christ,  as  is  evident  from  the  use  of /or,  with  which  the  verse  com- 
mences. 

The  expression  law  of  the  Spirit  is  here  opposed  to  the  phrase  the 
law  of  sin  and  death.  The  meaning  of  the  one,  therefore,  must  deter- 
mine that  of  the  other.  By  the  law  of  the  Spirit  may  be  understood  the 
power  or  influence  of  the  renewed  principle  in  the  heart,  and  then  the 
law  of  sin  and  death  must  mean  indwelling  sin,  or  the  law  in  the  mem- 
bers. Or  the  Spirit  is  here  the  Holy  Spirit,  called  the  Spirit  of  life, 
because  the  author  of  life  ;  and  the  word  laiv  signifies  rule.  The  whole 
phrase  would  then  be  descriptive  of  the  gospel,  which  is  the  law  of 
which  the  life-giving  Spirit  is  the  author.  The  expression  the  law  of  sin 
and  death  then  means  the  law  of  God,  which  is  so  called  because  it  is 
incidentally  the  cause  both  of  sin  and  death,  as  taught  in  the  preceding 
chapter.    The  sense  of  the  whole  verse  as  connected  with  v.  1,  there- 

Q 


182  ROMANS  8:  1—11. 

fore,  is,  '  There  is  no  condemnation  to  those  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus, 
because  they  have  been  freed  by  the  gospel  from  that  law  which,  al- 
thquffh  in  itself  good,  is  still  the  cause  of  sin  and  death.'  This  latter 
interpretation,  which  is  perfectly  consistent  with  the  usage  of  the  words, 
is  better  suited  to  the  context  than  the  other.  This  verse  then  assigns 
an  adequate  reason  for  the  declaration  contained  in  v.  1 ;  and  the  truth 
taught  in  v.  2,  as  thus  explained,  is  confirmed  in  v.  3.  "^ 

The  words  in  Christ  Jesus  may  be  connected  with  the  whole  preceding 
clause,  'The  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  which  is  hy  Christ  Jesus;'  or,  as 
the  absence  of  the  article  in  the  original  would  seem  to  require,  with  the 
verb  that  follows,  '  Has  made  me  free  through  Christ  Jesus.' 

(3)  The  connexion  between  this  and  the  preceding  verse  is  obvious. 
"We  are  freed  from  the  law  because  the  law  was  weak,  i.  e.  inadequate 
for  the  purpose  of  our  salvation.  This  connexion  serves  to  show  that  the 
interpretation  just  given  of  the  second  verse  is  correct. 

For  what  the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it  ivas  weak  through  the 
Jiesh,  &c.  The  Greek  admits  either  of  the  versions  here  given,  the  impos- 
sibility of  the  law  being  taken  for  lohat  was  impossible  to  the  law  ,•  or  it 
may  be  explained  thus,  as  to  or  on  account  of  the  impotence  of  the  law, 
&c.  The  latter  method  is  to  be  preferred.  The  sense  then  is,  '  we  are 
freed  from  the  law,  for  in  view  of,  or  on  account  of  its  inadequacy,  God 
having  sent  his  Son,'  &c.  What  is  here  said  of  the  insufficiency  of  the 
law  generally,  is  said  especially  of  the  form  in  which  it  appeared  in  the 
Mosaic  institutions  in  Acts  13:  39.  Gal  3  :  21.  Heb.  7:  18,  19,  and  is 
indeed  proved  at  length  in  the  epistle  of  the  Hebrews. 

This  inadequacy  of  the  law,  however,  Paul  says,  arises  from  no  inherent 
defect  but  from  the  corruption  of  men.  In  that  it  was  weak  through  the 
Jlesh.  The  same  sentiment  as  that  taught  in  the  preceding  chapter,  vs. 
7 — 25.  In  that,  i.  e.  because  that,  see  Heb.  2  :  18.  Paul  uses  the  word 
Jlesh  here  in  its  common  sense  for  corruption,  or  human  nature  considered 
as  corrupt,  see  above  Rom.  7  :  14.  God  sending  his  own  Son  in  the  like- 
ness of  sinful  flesh,  &c. ;  his  own  Son;  him  who  is  a  partaker  of  his 
nature.  This  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  Son  as  applied  to  Christ;  see 
ch.  1  :  4.  John  1 :  14.  5  :  17,  &c.  10  :  30—39.  The  greatness  of  the  gift 
and  the  urgency  of  the  necessity  are  therefore  presented  in  the  strongest 
light  by  these  few  words. 

In  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  i.  e.  in  a  nature  similar  to  the  nature  of 
sinful  men.  So  in  Phil.  2  :  7,  Christ  is  said  to  have  come  "  in  the  like- 
ness of  men."  The  similarity  extended  to  all  points  except  sin  ;  Heb. 
2  :  17.  4  :  15.  John  1  :  14,  where  also  the  word  Jlesh  is  used  as  here  for 
the  nature  in  which  Christ  appeared.  We  have  in  this  verse  a  distinct 
reference  to  the  two  natures  of  the  Redeemer.  The  Son  of  God  in  human 
nature;  see  Gal.  4:4. 

And  for  sin.  These  words  are  to  be  connected  with  the  preceding. 
God  not  only  sent  his  Son  in  our  nature,  bat  he  sent  him/ar  sin.  That  is, 
either  generally  on  account  of  sin,  or,  more  specially,  as  a  sin-offering. 


ROMANS  8:  1—11.  183 

This  latter  is  to  be  preferred,  for  the  original  words  are  frequently  so  used, 
both  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament.  The  full  phrase  is  a  sacrifice  foi 
sin.  See  precisely  these  words  in  Heb.  10  :  6.  Lev.  6  :  25.  Num.  8 :  8. 
Ps.  40 :  6.     This  sense,  too,  is  best  suited  to  what  follows. 

Condemned  sin  in  the  flesh.  The  phrase  condemned  sin  may  be  under- 
stood to  mean  he  destroyed  sin,  or  he  punished  sin.  In  either  case  the 
words  in  the  flesh  may  mean  in  human  nature.  According  to  the  former 
view  this  clause  means  '  He  destroyed  sin  in  our  corrupt  nature ;'  and  the 
whole  point  of  the  verse  is,  that  because  the  law  could  not  effect  our  sanc- 
tification,  God  sent  forth  his  Son  on  account  of  sin,  and  destroyed  it  in  us. 
According  to  the  other  view,  the  meaning  is,  '  That  God  sent  his  Son  as 
a  sin-offering  and  thus  punished  sin  in  the  flesh,'  i.  e.  either  in  his  flesh, 
of  which  mention  had  just  been  made,  or  in  human  nature,  a  nature  like 
our  own.  That  the  latter  is  the  true  meaning,  appears  evident,  1 .  Because 
the  word  rendered  condemned  never  means  simply  to  destroy  or  remove. 
The  other  interpretation,  therefore,  is  contrary  to  usage.  2.  This  inter- 
pretation best  suits  the  other  part  of  the  verse.  A  sacrifice  has  reference 
rather  to  the  guilt  of  sin,  than  to  its  impurity ;  it  procures  pardon  imme- 
diately, sanctification  only  mediately.  By  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  sin 
was,  therefore,  condemned,  rather  than  destroyed  or  removed.  3.  The 
following  verse  requires  this  interpretation.  Sin  was  condemned  in 
Christ,  in  order  that  we  might  be  justified.  4.  The  whole  context 
requires  it.  The  apostle  argues  thus,  '  There  is  no  condemnation  to  be- 
lievers because  they  are  not  under  the  law.  They  are  free  from  that  legal 
system,  because  God,  seeing  its  insufficiency,  sent  his  Son  as  a  sacrifice 
for  sin,  and  thus  condemned  sin,  that  we  might  be  free  from  the  demands 
of  the  law,  or  might  thus  satisfy  its  claims.' 

It  is  not  meant  to  be  denied  in  the  interpretation  just  given  of  this  im- 
portant verse,  that  the  deliverance  of  believers  from  sin  is  the  result  of 
the  mission  and  sacrifice  of  Christ,  or  that  this  idea  was  not  uniformly 
associated  in  the  apostle's  mind  with  their  justification.  All  that  is  intended 
is  to  show  that,  in  this  connexion,  where  freedom  from  condemnation, 
deliverance  from  the  law,  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  and  condemnation  of 
sin  are  spoken  of,  the  main  idea  is  the  justification  and  not  the  sanctifi- 
cation of  believers. 

(4)  That  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  he  fulfilled  in  us,  &c. 
These  words  express  the  design  and  result  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ. 
The  righteousness  of  the  law  means  that  which  the  law  demands.  '  That 
the  demands  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us,'  may,  however,  mean 
either  that  we  might  obey  the  law,  or  that  we  might  be  freed  from  its 
demands,  that  is,  be  justified.  That  the  latter  is  the  true  meaning  here, 
seems  evident,  1.  Because  this  interpretation  alone  suits  the  context,  if 
the  view  given  of  the  previous  verses  is  correct.  All  the  arguments, 
therefore,  in  favour  of  that  view,  support  this  interpretation,  and  need  not 
be  repeated.  2.  Because  in  scriptural  language  the  pardon  of  sin  is  the 
direct  object  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  and,  therefore,  this  verse,  which.. 


.84  ROMANS  8:  1—11. 

expresses  this  object,  must  mean  we  are  justified,  rather  than  that  we  are 
sanctified.  3.  The  latter  part  of  the  verse  would,  in  the  other  case,  be 
superfluous.  Why  should  it  be  said  that  the  law  is  obeyed  by  those  who 
obey  the  law,  that  is,  who  walk  after  the  Spirit?  This  verse,  therefore, 
expresses  nearly  the  same  idea  with  the  first.  It  is  there  said,  '  there  is 
no  condemnation  to  us  who  walk  after  the  Spirit,'  and  here,  that  '  the 
demands  of  the  law  are  fulfilled  in  us  who  thus  walk.'  They  are  fulfilled 
by  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  and  the  punishment  of  sin  in  him.  He  was 
made  sin,  or  treated  as. a  sinner,  for  us,  that  we  might  be  made  righteous- 
ness, or  treated  as  righteous  in  him,  2  Cor.  5  :  21. 

(5)  For  they  that  are  after  the  flesh  do  viind  the  things  of  the  fleshy 
&c.  The  immediate  object  of  this  and  the  following  verse  is  to  justify 
the  necessity  of  the  limitation  of  the  blessings  of  Christ's  death  to  those 
who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit.  The  for,  therefore, 
connects  this  verse,  not  with  the  main  idea,  but  with  the  last  clause 
of  the  preceding.  Men  must  be  holy,  because  sin  is  death,  whereas 
holiness  is  life  and  peace.  The  necessity  of  spirituality,  therefore,  lies 
in  the  very  nature  of  things. 

They  who  are  after  the  flesh,  those  who  are  in  the  flesh,  the  carnal, 
are  expressions  of  like  import,  and  describe  those  who  are  governed  by 
the  flesh,  or  by  their  nature  considered  as  corrupt.  The  corresponding 
series,  they  who  are  after  the  Spirit,  who  are  in  the  Spirit,  the  spiritual, 
describe  those  who  are  under  the  government  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Of 
the  former  class  it  is  said  they  mind  the  things  of  the  flesh,  of  the  latter, 
they  mind  the  things  of  the  Spirit.  The  word  rendered  they  mind  ex- 
presses primarily  the  exercise  of  the  intellect,  they  attend  to,  but,  seconda- 
rily, and  by  implication,  the  exercise  of  the  affections,  of  which  the 
other  is  the  result.  Hence  in  Col.  3  :  2,  it  is  correctly  rendered  in  the 
passage,  "  Set  your  affection  on  things  above."  See  also  Phil.  3  :  19. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  the  word  mind  as  used  by  our  translators. 
The  idea  evidently  is,  that  the  objects  of  attention,  desire,  and  pursuit, 
to  the  carnal,  are  corrupt  and  worldly ;  while  to  the  spiritual  they  are 
the  things  which  the  Spirit  proposes  and  approves. 

(6)  For  to  be  carnally  minded  is  death,  &c.  This  is  the  next  step 
in  the  apostle's  argument.  For  is  here  a  mere  particle  of  transition,  and 
is  equivalent  to  but,  '  They  who  are  after  the  flesh  mind  the  things  of  the 
flesh  ;  but  to  mind  the  things  of  the  flesh,  or  to  be  carnally  minded  is 
death.'  It  is  clear  that  to  be  carnally  minded  is  exactly  what  is  meant 
by  the  corresponding  phrase  in  the  preceding  verse.  This  state  of  mind, 
this  desire  and  pursuit  of  carnal  things,  is,  in  its  own  nature,  destructive. 
It  leads  to  all  the  Scriptures  mean  by  death,  alienation  from  God,  unho- 
liness  and  misery. 

To  be  spiritually  minded.  A  spiritual  state  of  mind,  the  desire  and 
.  pursuit  of  spiritual  things  is,  in  its  own  nature,  life  and  peace.  God  has 
so  constituted  the  human  soul  that  the  exercise  of  all  right  feelings  is 


ROMANS  8:  1—11.  185 

attended  with  happiness,  and  the  exercise  of  evil  ones  with  misery.    To 
be  entirely  sinful,  therefore,  is  to  be  entirely  miserable. 

(7)  The  ground  of  this  assertion  is,  that  God  is  the  end  and  portion  of 
the  soul.  To  be  separated  from  him  is,  therefore,  to  be  separated  from 
all  that  is  suited  to  its  nature  and  capacity.  But  a  carnal  state  does 
effect  this  separation  from  God,  and  is,  therefore,  destructive.  This  idea 
Paul  expresses  by  saying, 

Because  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God,  &c.  The  words 
here  rendered  the  carnal  mind  are  the  same  as  those  which,  in  v.  6,  are 
rendered  to  be  carnally  minded ,-  of  course  the  two  expressions  in  our 
version  must  be  considered  as  synonymous.  This  state  of  mind,  this 
desire  and  pursuit  of  carnal  things  is  said  to  be  hostile  to  God.  This 
may  be  understood  either  as  though  Paul  employed  these  abstract  terms 
for  concrete  ones,  as  with  him  is  very  common,  and  then  the  sense  would 
be,  'Those  who  are  thus  carnally  minded  are  opposed  to  God,  i.  e.  are 
not  subject  to  his  law  and  cannot  be.'  Or  the  abstract  terms  may  be  re- 
tained in  their  proper  force,  and  then  the  meaning  is,  '  The  desire  and 
pursuit  of  the  things  of  the  flesh  is  enmity  to  God.'  There  is  no  great 
difference;  for  when  we  say  that  sin  is  enmity  to  God,  we  at  the  same 
time  say  that  the  sinner  is  an  enemy  of  God. 

(8)  The  necessary  consequence  of  this  opposition  of  a  mind  governed 
by  the  flesh,  or  of  a  state  of  mind  resulting  from  the  predominance  of  the 
flesh  to  God  is,  that  those  who  are  in  this  state  are  the  objects  of  the 
divine  displeasure.  So  then  they  that  are  in  the  Jiesh  cannot  please  God. 
To  be  in  the  Jlesh,  as  before  remarked,  is  to  be  under  the  government  of 
the  Jlesh,  or  corrupt  nature,  to  be  destitute  of  the  grace  of  God.  It  is  an 
expression  applied  to  all  unrenewed  persons,  as  those  who  are  not  in  the 
Jlesh  are  in  the  Spirit. 

The  words  cannot  please  God  may  mean  either  cannot  do  what  is 
pleasing  to  God,  or  cannot  be  acceptable  to  him,  i.  e.  are  the  objects  of 
his  displeasure.  The  latter  is  better  suited  to  the  context,  as  all  that  is 
said  in  vs.  7,  8  is  designed  to  show  the  truth  of  the  declaration  in  v.  6, 
"  to  be  carnally  minded  is  death."  It  is  so,  because  the  carnal  mind  is 
enmity  against  God,  and,  therefore,  those  who  have  this  state  of  mind 
are  hateful  in  his  sight.  But  to  be  the  object  of  the  divine  displeasure, 
is  to  be  miserable.  In  vs.  9,  10,  11,  Paul  applies  to  the  Romans  what  he 
had  said  generally,  and  shows  how  it  is  that,  in  the  fullest  and  widest 
sense,  ''  to  be  spiritually  minded,"  or  possessed  of  the  Spirit,  is  life  and 
peace,  v.  6. 

(9)  But  ye  are  not  in  the  Jlesh,  hut  in  the  Spirit,  if  so  he  the  Spi- 
rit of  God  dwell  in  you.  To  he  in  the  Jlesh  and  in  the  Spirit  are  ex- 
pressions already  explained.  Paul  was  persuaded  that  those  to  whom 
he  wrote  were  renewed  or  spiritual  persons  ;  yet  he  expresses  the  case 
hypothetically,  '  Ye  are  renewed,  if  so  be  ye  have  the  Spirit  of  God,  for 
if  you  have  not  that  Spirit  you  are  none  of  his.' 

Spirit  of  God  dwell  in  you.    It  need  hardly  be  remarked  that  Spirit 

q2 


IS&  ROMANS  8:  1—11. 

of  God  cannot,  with  any  regard  to  the  usage  of  scriptural  language,  be 
explained  here  as  meaning  pious  feelings,  metonymically  called  Spirit, 
because  produced  by  his  agency.  The  expression  and  context  alike 
show  that  it  must  be  understood  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  God  is  said  to 
dwell  wherever  he  constantly  manifests  his  presence.  Hence,  he  dwelt 
in  the  tabernacle,  the  temple,  in  Zion,  &c.  In  the  New  Testament  the 
church  is  called  a  habitation  of  God,  Eph.  2 :  22,  &c.,  and  individual 
Christians  are  said  to  be  his  temple,  1  Cor.  3:16.  6  :  19.  The  indwell- 
ing of  the  Spirit  in  Christians  is  spoken  of  in  the  passages  referred  to, 
and  in  many  others,  as  2  Tim.  1  :  14.  2  Cor.  6 :  16,  &c. 

JVow  if  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his.  It 
is  evident  that  what  was  just  called  the  Spirit  of  God,  is  here  called  the 
Spirit  of  Christ ;  see  Gal.  4  :  6.  Phil.  1 :  19.  1  Pet.  1:11;  of  course  the 
latter  phrase  cannot  mean  the  disposition  (f  Christ,  but  the  Holy  Spirit. 
He  is  called  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  1.  Because  possessed  by  Christ  with- 
out measure,  John  3  :  34.  Acts  10:  38.  Isa.  42 :  1,  &c.  2.  Because  he 
is  given  or  sent  by  Christ,  John  1 :  33.  15  :  26.  16:  7.  Luke  24 :  49, 
&c.  &c. 

(10)  And  if  Christ  he  in  you,  the  body  is  dead  because  of  sin,  &c.  The 
connexion  between  this  verse  and  the  preceding  is  better  seen  if  but  in- 
stead of  and  is  used.  '  If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  he  is 
none  of  his,  hut  if  Christ  be  in  him,  then  he  is  a  partaker  of  the  life  of 
which  Christ  is  the  author,'  &c.  As  in  the  vs.  7,  8,  Paul  had  conrirmed 
the  declaration  that  "  to  be  carnally  minded  is  death  ;"  he,  in  vs.  iO,  11, 
illustrates  the  proposition,  that  "  to  be  spiritually  minded  is  life  and 
peace." 

j^  Christ  be  in  you  is  evidently  of  the  same  import  with  the  preceding 
expressions,  to  have  the  Spirit  of  Christ  and  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelling 
in  us,  which  shows  that  the  manner  in  which  Christ  dwells  in  his  people 
is  by  the  communication  to  them  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  possession  of 
this  Spirit  is  a  pledge  of  life  in  its  fullest  sense,  even  to  the  resurrection 
of  the  body.  Hence,  Paul  says,  "  the  body  is  dead,  indeed,  on  account 
of  sin ,-  but  the  Spirit  is  life,  because  of  righteousness  ,•"  that  is,  '  To 
have  the  Spirit  of  God  is  to  have  life,  for  although  the  body  is  destined 
to  die  on  account  of  sin,  still  the  soul  lives,  in  consequence  of  its  justifi- 
cation and  renovation,  and  even  our  mortal  bodies  are  hereafter  to  be 
restored  to  life  by  that  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  us,'  v.  11. 

The  body  is  dead  because  of  sin.  This  expression  and  the  whole  verse 
have  been  very  variously  explained  ;  some  understanding  them  of  a  spi- 
ritual, and  others  of  a  temporal  death  and  resurrection.  According  to  the 
former  view,  body  is  understood  as  equivalent  to  the  word  Jlesh,  signify- 
ing corrupt  nature;  and  dead  means  devoid  of  power ;  and  the  phrase 
because  of  sin  is  rendered  as  to  sin.  But  this  interpretation  does  violence 
to  usage  and  the  context.  Body  very  rarely,  if  ever,  has  the  sense  thus 
ascribed  to  it,  and  when  connected  with  the  word  dead,  it  certainly  never 
lias.    In  the  very  next  verse,  too,  we  have  the  words  mortal  bodies,  which 


ROMANS  8:  1—11.  187 

do  not  admit  of  being  understood  figuratively.  The  meaning,  according 
to  the  common  interpretation,  is  natural  and  consistent  with  the  apostle's 
object.  The  body^  indeed,  is  dead,  i.  e.  must  die,  is  obnoxious  to  death, 
notwithstanding  the  indwelling  of  the  life-giving  Spirit,  on  account  of  sin. 
Sin  is  the  cause  of  all  infirmities  and  sorrows,  and,  finally,  of  the  disso- 
lution to  which  our  bodies  are  subject  in  this  world.  This  fact  is  incon- 
sistent neither  with  our  being  in  favour  with  God,  nor  with  our  being  par- 
takers of  the  life  of  Christ.  This  is  evident  from  two  considerations; 
first,  our  souls  already  participate  in  this  life;  and,  secondly,  our  bodies 
shall  be  raised  up  again,  and  share  for  ever  in  that  blessedness  of  which 
Christ  is  the  author.  The  former  of  these  considerations  is  presented  in 
the  next  clause  of  the  verse,  but  the  Spirit  is  life  because  of  righteousness. 
If  body,  in  one  part  of  this  antithesis,  be  understood  of  the  external  frame, 
Spirit  must  mean  the  soul.  '  Though  the  body  dies,  the  soul  lives.'  To 
live  evidently  includes,  as  it  almost  uniformly  does  when  spoken  of  in 
relation  to  the  results  of  Christ's  work,  the  idea  of  a  holy  and  happy 
existence  in  the  favour  of  God.  The  soul  thus  lives  because  of  right' 
cousness.  From  the  opposition  of  this  word  to  sin,  in  the  other  clause,  its 
primary  reference  must  be  to  the  moral  renovation  of  the  soul.  We  shall 
continue  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  life  just  spoken  of,  because  the  principles 
of  this  new  and  immortal  existence  are  implanted  within  us.  Intimately 
connected  with  this  meaning  of  the  word  rendered  righteousness  in  this 
place,  is  the  other  idea  which  the  word  expresses,  viz.  justification.  The 
soul  shall  live,  in  the  fullest  sense  of  the  term,  because  it  is  reconciled  to 
God  and  regarded  by  him  as  righteous  for  Christ's  sake.  Though  both 
ideas  are  probably  to  be  included,  the  former  is  the  more  prominent. 

(11)  But  if  the  Spirit  of  him  that  raised  up  Jesus  from  the  dead 
dwell  in  you.  Such  paraphrases  for  God  as  that  which  this  verse  con- 
tains are  very  common  with  the  apostle  (see  Rom.  4 :  24,  &c.),  and  are 
peculiarly  appropriate  when  the  force  of  the  argument,  in  some  measure, 
rests  on  the  fact  to  which  the  descriptive  phrase  refers.  Because  God 
had  raised  up  Christ,  there  was  ground  of  confidence  that  he  would  raise 
his  people  up  also.  Two  ideas  may  be  included  in  this  part  of  the  verse ; 
first,  that  the  very  possession  of  that  Spirit,  which  is  the  source  of  life, 
is  a  pledge  and  security  that  our  bodies  shall  rise  again  ;  because  it  would 
be  unseemly  that  any  thing  thus  honoured  by  the  Spirit  should  remain 
under  the  dominion  of  death ;  and,  secondly,  that  the  resurrection  of 
Christ  secures  the  resurrection  of  those  that  are  his,  according  to  Paul's 
doctrine  in  1  Cor.  15  :  23. 

He  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead  shall  also  quicken  your  mor- 
ia{  bodies.  This  clause  cannot,  with  any  regard  to  usage  or  the  context, 
be  understood  of  a  moral  resurrection,  or  deliverance  from  sin,  as  it  is 
explained  by  Calvin  and  many  others.  See  the  analogous  passage, 
2  Cor.  4:14. 

By  his  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  you,  or,  as  it  must  be  rendered  according 
to  another  reading,  "  On  account  of  his  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  you.''''  The 


188  ROMANS  8:  1—11. 

sense  in  either  case  is  good.  According  to  the  former,  the  meaning  is, 
that  the  resurrection  of  believers  will  be  effected  by  the  power  of  the 
Spirit  of  God ;  and  according  to  the  latter,  that  the  indwelling  of  his  Spirit 
is  the  ground  or  reason  why  the  bodies  of  believers  should  not  be  left  in 
the  grave.  The  internal  evidence  is  decidedly  in  favour  of  the  first 
reading. 

It  will  be  remarked,  that  in  this  verse,  and  elsewhere,  God  is  said  to 
have  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead,  whereas,  in  John  10:  17,  18,  the 
Saviour  claims  for  himself  the  power  of  resuming  his  life.  So  here  (ac- 
cording to  the  common  reading)  we  are  said  to  be  raised  up  by  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  in  John  6  :  40,  Christ  says  of  the  believer,  "  /  will  raise  him  up 
at  the  last  day  ;"  and  2  Cor.  4  :  14,  and  in  many  other  places,  the  resur- 
rection of  believers  is  ascribed  to  God.  These  passages  belong  to  that 
numerous  class  of  texts  in  which  the  same  work  is  attributed  to  the 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  which,  in  connexion  with  other 
sources  of  proof,  show  conclusively  that  "  these  three  are  one ;"  and  that 
the  persons  of  the  Adorable  Trinity  concur  in  all  works  ad  extra. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  As  the  former  part  of  this  chapter  is  an  inference  from  the  previous 
discussion,  and  presents  a  summary  of  the  great  truths  already  taught, 
we  find  here  united  the  leading  doctrines  of  the  first  portion  of  the  epis- 
tle. For  example,  justification  is  by  faith,  v.  1 ;  believers  are  not  under 
the  law,  V.  2;  the  law  is  insufficient  for  our  justification;  God  has  ac- 
complished that  object  by  the  sacrifice  of  his  Son,  vs.  3,  4;  and  this 
blessing  is  never  disconnected  from  a  holy  life,  v.  4. 

2.  The  final  salvation  of  those  who  are  really  united  to  Christ,  and 
who  show  the  reality  of  their  union  by  good  works,  is  secure.  This  is 
the  doctrine  of  the  whole  chapter.  This  section  contains  two  of  the 
apostle's  arguments  in  its  support.  1.  They  are  free  from  the  law  which 
condemned  them  to  death,  vs.  2,  3,  4.  2.  They  are  partakers  of  that 
Spirit  which  is  the  author  and  earnest  of  eternal  life,  vs.  5 — 11. 

3.  Jesus  Christ  is  truly  divine.  He  is  "  God's  own  Son,"  i.  e.  par- 
taker of  his  nature.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  his  Spirit,  and  he  dwells  in  all 
believers,  vs.  3,  11. 

4.  Jesus  Christ  is  truly  a  man.     He  came  in  the  likeness  of  men,  v.  3. 

5.  Christ  was  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  and  his  sufferings  were  penal,  i.  e. 
they  were  judicially  inflicted  in  support  of  the  law.  '  God  punished  sin 
in  him,'  v.  3. 

6.  The  justification  of  believers  involves  a  fulfilling  of  the  law;  its 
demands  are  not  set  aside,  v.  4. 

7.  Every  thing  in  the  Bible  is  opposed  to  Antinomianism.  Paul 
teaches  that  justification  and  sanctification  cannot  be  disjoined.  No  one 
is  or  can  be  in  the  favour  of  God  who  lives  after  the  flesh,  vs.  5 — 11. 

8.  The  necessity  of  holiness  arises  out  of  the  very  nature  of  things. 
Sin  is  death,  whereas  holiness  is  life  and  peace.     God  has  made  the  con. 


ROMANS  8:  1—11.  189 

nexion  between  sin  and  misery,  holiness  and  happiness,  necessary  and 
immutable,  v.  6. 

9.  All  unrenewed  men,  that  is,  all  "  who  are  in  the  flesh,"  are  at  once 
the  enemies  of  God  and  the  objects  of  his  displeasure.  Their  habitual 
and  characteristic  state  of  mind,  that  state  which  every  man  has  who  is 
not  "  in  the  Spirit,"  is  enmity  to  God,  and  consequently  is  the  object  of 
his  disapprobation,  vs.  6,  8. 

10.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  the  source  of  all  good  in  man.  Those  who  are 
destitute  of  his  influences  are  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  in- 
deed can  be ;  for  no  man  can  call  Jesus  Lord,  that  is,  can  really  recog- 
nise his  authority,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  vs.  5—8. 

11.  Death,  and  the  other  evils  to  which  believers  are  exposed,  are  on 
account  of  sin,  v.  10.  They  are  no  longer,  however,  the  evidences  of 
God's  displeasure,  but  of  his  parental  love,  Heb.  12  :  6. 

12.  The  redemption  of  Christ  extends  to  the  bodies  as  well  as  the 
souls  of  his  people,  v.  11. 


1.  There  can  be  no  safety,  no  holiness,  and  no  happiness  to  those  who 
are  out  of  Christ.  No  safety,  because  all  such  are  under  the  condemna- 
tion of  the  law,  vs.  1,  2,  3  ;  no  holiness,  because  only  such  as  are  united 
to  Christ  have  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  v.  9  ;  and  no  happiness,  because 
'<  to  be  carnally  minded  is  death,"  v.  6.  Hence  those  who  are  in  Christ 
should  be  very  humble,  seeing  they  are  nothing,  and  he  is  every  thing; 
very  grateful,  and  very  holy.  And  those  who  are  out  of  Christ  should 
at  once  go  to  him,  that  they  may  attain  safety,  holiness,  and  happiness. 

2.  The  liberty  wherewith  Christ  has  made  his  people  free,  is  a  liberty 
from  the  law  and  from  sin,  vs.  2,  5.  A  legal  spirit  and  an  unholy  life 
are  alike  inconsistent  with  the  Christian  character. 

3.  Believers  should  be  joyful  and  confident;  for  the  law  is  fulfilled; 
its  demands  are  satisfied  as  respects  them.  Who  then  can  condemn,  if 
God  has  justified?  v.  4. 

4.  There  can  be  no  rational  or  scriptural  hope  without  holiness,  and 
every  tendency  to  separate  the  evidence  of  the  divine  favour  from  the 
evidence  of  true  piety  is  anti-Christian  and  destructive,  vs.  4 — 8. 

5.  The  bent  of  the  thoughts,  affections,  and  pursuits  is  the  only  de- 
cisive test  of  character.  "  They  who  are  after  the  flesh  do  mind  the 
things  of  the  flesh,"  &c.  v.  5. 

6.  It  is,  therefore,  a  sure  mark  of  hypocrisy  if  a  man,  who  professes 
to  be  a  Christian,  still  minds  earthly  things,  that  is,  has  his  affections 
and  efforts  supremely  directed  towards  worldly  objects. 

7.  We  may  as  well  attempt  to  wring  pleasure  out  of  pain,  as  to  unite 
the  indulgence  of  sin  with  the  enjoyment  of  happiness,  vs.  6,  7. 

8.  How  blinded  must  those  be  who,  although  at  enmity  with  God, 
and  the  objects  of  his  displeasure,  are  sensible  neither  of  their  guilt  nor 
danger !  vs.  7,  8. 


190  ROMANS  8:  12—28. 

9.  The  great  distinction  of  a  true  Christian  is  the  indwelling-  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.     Hence  his  dignity,  holiness,  and  happiness,  vs.  9 — 11. 

10.  If  the  Spirit  of  God  dwells  in  the  Christian,  how  careful  should 
he  be  lest  any  thing  in  his  thoughts  or  feelings  should  be  offensive  to 
this  divine  guest! 

11.  Christians  are  bound  to  reverence  their  bodies  and  preserve  them 
from  all  defilement,  because  they  are  the  members  of  Christ,  and  the 
temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  v.  11. 

CHAP.  8:  12—28. 

^^Therefore,  brethren,  we  are  debtors,  not  to  the  flesh,  to  live  after  the 
flesh.  i^For  if  ye  live  after  the  flesh,  ye  shall  die;  but  if  ye  through  the 
Spirit  do  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,  ye  shall  live.  **For  as  many  as 
are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God.  "For  ye  have 
not  received  the  spirit  of  bondage  again  to  fear ;  but  ye  have  received  the 
Spirit  of  adoption,  whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Father.  *^The  Spirit  itself 
beareth  witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  children  of  God :  *7and 
if  children,  then  heirs;  heirs  of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Christ;  if  so 
be  that  we  suffer  with  him^  that  we  may  be  also  glorified  together.  *^For 
I  reckon  that  the  sufferings  of  this  present  time  are  not  worthy  to  he  com- 
pared with  the  glory  which  shall  be  revealed  in  us.  ^^For  the  earnest 
expectation  of  the  creature  waiteth  for  the  manifestation  of  the  sons  of 
God.  ^°For  the  creature  was  made  subject  to  vanity,  not  willingly,  but 
by  reason  of  him  who  hath  subjected  the  same  in  hope,  ^^because  the 
creature  itself  also  shall  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corruption  into 
the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God.  ^'^For  we  know  that  the 
whole  creation  groaneth  and  travaileth  in  pain  together  until  now.  ^^And 
not  only  they^  but  ourselves  also,  which  have  the  first-fruits  of  the  Spirit, 
even  we  ourselves  groan  within  ourselves,  waiting  for  the  adoption,  to 
wit,  the  redemption  of  our  body.  '^^For  we  are  saved  by  hope  :  but  hope 
that  is  seen  is  not  hope  :  for  what  a  man  seeth,  why  doth  he  yet  hope 
for?  ^^But  if  we  hope  for  that  we  see  not,  then  do  we  with  patience 
wait  for  it.  ^eLj^ewise  the  Spirit  also  helpeth  our  infirmities  :  for  we 
know  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought :  but  the  Spirit  itself 
maketh  intercession  for  us  with  groanings  which  cannot  be  uttered. 
27And  he  that  searcheth  the  hearts  knoweth  what  is  the  mind  of  the  Spi- 
rit, because  he  maketh  intercession  for  the  saints  according  to  the  will  of 
God.  28\(^(j  ^g  know  that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them 
that  love  God,  to  them  who  are  the  called  according  to  his  purpose. 

ANALYSIS. 

This  section  contains  two  additional  arguments  in  support  of  the  great 
theme  of  the  chapter,  the  safety  of  all  who  are  in  Christ.  The  first  is 
derived  from  their  adoption,  vs.  12 — 17,  and  the  second  from  the  fact 
that  they  are  sustained  by  hope  and  aided  by  the  Spirit  under  all  iheir 


ROMANS  8:  12—28.  191 

trials;  so  that  every  thing  eventually  works  together  for  their  good,  vs 
18—28. 

Paul  had  just  «!hown  that  believers  were  distinguished  by  the  indwell 
ing  of  the  Spirit.  Hence  he  infers  the  obligation  to  live  according  tc 
the  Spirit,  and  to  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,  v.  12.  If  they  did  thia 
they  should  live,  v.  13.  Not  only  because,  as  previously  argued,  the 
Spirit  is  the  source  of  life,  but  also  because  all  who  are  led  by  the  Spirit 
are  the  children  of  God.  This  is  a  new  ground  of  security,  v.  14.  The 
reality  of  their  adoption  is  proved,  first,  by  their  own  filial  feelings;  as 
God's  relation  and  feelings  towards  us  are  always  the  counterpart  of  ours 
towards  him,  v.  15.  Secondly,  by  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit  itself  with 
our  spirits,  v.  16.  If  children,  the  inference  is  plain  that  believers  shall 
be  saved,  for  they  are  heirs.  Salvation  follows  adoption,  as,  among 
men,  heirship  does  sonship.  They  are  joint-heirs  with  Jesus  Christ, 
V.  17. 

It  is  nowise  inconsistent  with  their  filial  relation  to  God,  nor  with 
their  safety,  that  believers  are  allowed  to  suffer  in  this  world  ;  1.  Be- 
cause these  sufferings  are  comparatively  insignificant,  vs.  18 — 23.  2. 
Because  they  are  sustained  by  hop*.  3.  Because  the  Spirit  itself  inter- 
cedes for  them.  In  amplifying  the  first  of  these  considerations,  the 
comparative  insignificancy  of  the  sufferings  of  this  present  state,  the 
apostle  presents  in  contrast  the  unspeakable  blessedness  and  glory  which 
are  in  reserve  for  believers,  v.  18.  To  elevate  our  conceptions  of  this 
glory,  he  represents,  1.  The  whole  creation  as  looking  and  longing  for 
its  full  manifestation,  v.  19,  &c.  2.  All  those  who  have  now  a  foretaste 
of  this  blessedness,  or  the  first-fruits  of  the  Spirit,  as  joining  in  this 
sense  of  present  wretchedness  and  earnest  desire  of  the  future  good,  v.  23. 

These  afflictions  then  are  not  only  thus  comparatively  light  in  them- 
selves, but  they  are  made  still  more  tolerable  by  the  constant  and  ele- 
vating anticipation  of  the  future  inheritance  of  the  saints,  vs.  24,  25. 
A.nd  not  only  so,  but  the  Spirit  also  sustains  us  by  his  intercessions,  thus 
securing  for  us  all  the  good  we  need,  vs.  26 — 28.  The  salvation,  then, 
of  believers  is  secure,  notwithstanding  their  sufferings,  inasmuch  as 
they  are  children,  and  are  sustained  and  aided  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

COMMENTARY. 

("12)  Therefore,  hrethren,  we  are  debtors,  not  to  the  flesh  to  live  after  the 
flesh.  We  have  here  an  example  of  what  the  rhetoricians  call  meiosis, 
where  less  is  said  than  is  intended.  So  far  from  being  debtors  to  the 
flesh,  the  very  reverse  is  the  case.  This  passage  is  an  inference  from 
the  exhibition  of  the  nature  and  tendency  of  X\ve  flesh,  or  the  carnal  mind, 
as  hostile  to  God  and  destructive  to  ourselves,  vs.  5,  8.  As  this  is  its 
nature,  and  believers  are  no  longer  in  the  flesh,  but  in  the  Spirit,  they 
are  under  the  strongest  obligations  not  to  live  after  the  one,  but  after  the 
other. 

(13)  The  necessity  of  thus  living  is  enforced  by  a  repef'.tion  of  the 


192  ROMANS  8:  12—28. 

sentiment  of  v.  6.  To  live  after  the  flesh  is  death  ;  to  live  after  the  Spirit 
is  life.  For  if  ye  live  after  the  flesh.,  ye  shall  die  ;  but  if  ye  through  the  Spi'^ 
rit,  &c.  The  necessity  of  holiness,  therefore,  is  absolute.  No  matter 
what  professions  we  may  make,  or  what  hopes  we  may  indulge,  justifi- 
cation or  the  manifestation  of  the  divine  favour  is  never  separated  from 
sanctification.  Ye  shall  die  in  the  comprehensive  scriptural  sense  of  that 
word,  Rom.  6  :  21,  23  ;  see  Gal.  6  :  8.  But  if  ye  through  the  Spirit  do 
mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,  ye  shall  live.  The  use  of  the  word  mortify^ 
to  put  to  death  or  destroy,  seems  to  have  been  suggested  by  the  context. 
Ye  shall  die,  unless  ye  put  to  death  the  deeds  of  the  body  ;  see  Col.  3: 
6.     The  destruction  of  sin  is  a  slow  and  painful  process. 

Deeds  of  the  body.  It  is  commonly  said  that  body  is  here  equivalent 
to  Jlesh,  and,  therefore,  signifies  corruption.  But  it  is  very  much  to  be 
doubted  whether  the  word  ever  has  this  sense  in  the  New  Testament. 
The  passages  commonly  quoted  in  its  behalf,  Rom.  6:6.  7  :  24.  8 :  10, 
13,  are  very  far  from  being  decisive.  It  is,  therefore,  better  to  take  the 
word  in  its  literal  and  usual  sense.  The  deeds  of  the  body  is  then  a  meto- 
nymical  expression  for  sinful  deeds  in  general ;  a  part  being  put  for  the 
whole.  Deeds  performed  by  the  body,  being,  by  implication,  taken  for 
evil  deeds. 

The  destruction  of  sin  is  to  be  effected  through  the  Spirit,  which  does 
not  mean  the  renewed  feelings  of  the  heart,  but,  as  uniformly  throughout 
the  passage,  the  Holy  Spirit  which  dwells  in  believers  ;  see  v.  14,  where 
this  Spirit  is  called  "  Spirit  of  God."  Ye  shall  live,  i.  e.  enjoy  the  life  of 
which  the  Spirit  is  the  author ;  including,  therefore,  holiness,  happiness, 
and  eternal  glory. 

(14)  For  as  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of 
God.  This  is  the  reason  why  all  such  shall  live ;  that  is,  a  new  argu- 
ment is  thus  introduced  in  support  of  the  leading  doctrine  of  the  chapter. 
Believers  shall  enjoy  eternal  life,  not  only  because  they  have  the  Spirit 
of  life,  but  because  they  are  the  sons  of  God.  To  be  led  by  the  Spirit  and 
to  lualk  after  the  Spirit  present  the  same  idea,  viz.  to  be  under  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Spirit,  under  two  different  aspects.  Gal.  5:18.  2  Pet.  1  :  21. 
The  former  phrase  refers  to  the  constant  and  effectual  influence  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  in  regulating  the  thoughts,  feelings,  and  conduct  of  believers. 
Are  the  sons  of  God.  The  term  son,  in  such  connexions,  expresses  mainly 
one  or  the  other  of  three  ideas,  and  sometimes  all  of  them  united.  1.  Si- 
milarity of  disposition,  character  or  nature;  Matt.  5  :  9,  45,  "That  ye 
may  be  the  children  (Gr.  sons)  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  So, 
too,  "  sons  of  Abraham"  are  those  who  are  like  Abraham  ;  and  "  children 
of  the  devil"  are  those  who  are  like  the  devil.  2.  Objects  of  peculiar 
affection.  Rom.  9  :  26,  Those  who  were  not  my  people,  "  shall  be  called 
sons  of  the  living  God;"  2  Cor.  6:  18,  "Ye  shall  be  my  sons  and 
daughters,  saith  the  Lord  Almighty."  So  frequently  elsewhere.  3.  Those 
who  have  a  title  to  some  peculiar  dignity  or  advantage.  Thus  the  "  sons 
of  Abraham"  are  those  who  are  heirs  with  Abraham  of  the  same  promise, 


ROMANS  8:  12—28.  193 

Gal.  3  :  9,  seq.  John  I  :  12.  1  John  3:2,"  Beloved,  now  are  we  the  sons 
of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be,"  &c.  The  term 
may  indeed  express  any  one  of  the  various  relations  in  which  children 
stand  to  their  parents,  as  derived  from  them,  dependent  on  them,  &c.  &c. 
The  above,  however,  are  the  most  common  of  its  meanings.  In  this  pas- 
sage the  first  and  third  ideas  appear  specially  intended.  '  Believers  shall 
live,  because  they  are  the  peculiar  objects  of  the  divine  affection,  and  are 
heirs  of  his  kingdom,'  vs.  15,  16.  That  those  who  are  led  by  the  Spirit 
are  really  the  sons  of  God,  appears  from  their  own  filial  feelings,  and 
from  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit. 

Fur  ye  have  not  received  the  Spirit  of  bondage  again  to  fear,  but  ye  have 
received  the  Spirit  of  adoption,  Sic.  That  is,  '  The  Holy  Spirit,  which 
you  have  received,  does  not  produce  a  slavish  and  anxious  state  of  mind, 
such  as  those  experience  who  are  under  the  law  ;  but  it  produces  the  filial 
feelings  of  affection,  reverence,  and  confidence,  and  enables  us,  out  of  the 
fulness  of  our  hearts,  to  call  God  our  Father.' 

The  phrase,  the  spirit  of  bondage,  may  mean  a  feeling  or  sense  of  bond- 
age, as  "  spirit  of  meekness,"  1  Cor.  4  :  21,  may  mean  meekness  itself; 
and  "  spirit  of  fear,"  2  Tim.  1  :  7,  fear  itself.  This  use  of  the  word  spirit 
is  not  uncommon.  Or  it  may  mean  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  author  of 
bondage.  '  Believers  have  not  received  a  spirit  which  produces  slavish 
feelings,  but  the  reverse.'  The  context  is  decidedly  in  favour  of  this 
view  :  because  Paul  has  been  speaking  of  the  Holy  Spirit  as  dwelling  in 
Christians.  This  Spirit  is  that  which  they  have  received,  and  is  the 
author  of  their  characteristic  feelings.  In  the  words  again  to  fear  there 
is  an  evident  allusion  to  the  state  of  believers  prior  to  the  reception  of  the 
Spirit.  It  was  a  state  of  bondage  in  which  they  feared,  i.  e.  were  go- 
verned by  a  slavish  and  anxious  apprehension  of  punishment.  In  this 
state  are  all  unconverted  men,  whether  Jews  or  Gentiles,  because  they 
are  all  under  the  law,  or  the  bondage  of  a  legal  system. 

Spirit  of  adoption  ,•  the  spirit  which  produces  the  feelings  which  chil- 
dren have.  Adoption  is  for  sonship.  £y  which  we  cry,  Abba,  Father,  1.  e, 
which  enables  us  to  address  God  as  our  Father.  Mba  is  the  Syriac  and 
Chaldee  form  of  the  Hebrew  word  for  father,  and,  therefore,  was  to  the 
apostle  the  most  familiar  term.  As  such,  it  would  doubtless,  more  natu- 
rally and  fully,  express  his  filial  feeling  towards  God,  than  the  foreign 
Greek  word. 

(16)  The  Spirit  itself  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the 
children  of  God.  '  Not  only  do  our  own  filial  feelings  towards  God  prove 
that  we  are  his  children,  but  the  Holy  Spirit  itself  conveys  to  our  souls 
the  assurance  of  this  delightful  fact.' 

The  Spirit  itself  is,  of  course,  the  Holy  Spirit,  1.  Because  of  the 
obvious  distinction  between  it  and  our  spirit.  2.  Because  of  this  use  of 
the  word  throughout  the  passage  ;  and  3.  Because  of  the  analogy  to  other 
texts  which  cannot  be  otherwise  explained.  Gal.  4:6,"  God  hath  sent 
forth  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father ;"  Rom. 

R 


194  ROMANS  8:  12—28. 

5:5,"  The  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost 
given  unto  us,"  &c. 

Beareth  loitness  with  our  spirit^  that  is,  'beareth  witness,  together  with 
our  own  filial  feelings,  to  our  spirit.'  Or,  simply,  '  assures  our  spirit.' 
Beareth  witness  to,  means  confirms  or  assures.  '  The  Spirit  of  God  pro- 
duces in  our  spirit  the  assurance  that  we  are  the  children  of  God.'  How 
this  is  done,  we  cannot  fully  understand,  aijy  more  than  we  can  under- 
stand the  mode  in  which  he  produces  any  other  effect  in  our  mind.  The 
fact  is  clearly  asserted  here  as  well  as  in  other  passages.  See  Rom.  5  : 
5,  where  the  conviction  that  we  are  the  objects  of  the  love  of  God,  is  said 
to  be  produced  "  by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  unto  us."  See  2  Cor. 
1:  22.  5 :  5.  Eph.  1  :  13.  4  :  30 ;  and  in  1  Cor.  2 :  4,  5,  and  1  John  2 : 
20,  27,  and  other  passages,  the  conviction  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel  is,  in 
like  manner,  attributed  to  the  Holy  Spirit. 

(17)  ^nd  if  children,  then  heirs;  heirs  of  God  and  joint  heirs  with 
Christ,  &c.  This  is  the  inference  from  our  adoption  in  favour  of  the 
great  theme  of  the  chapter,  the  safety  of  believers.  If  the  children  of 
God,  they  shall  become  partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light. 
The  words  to  inherit,  heirs,  and  inheritance,  are  all  of  them  used  in  a  gene- 
ral sense  in  the  Scriptures,  in  reference  to  the  secure  possession  of  any 
good,  without  regard  to  the  mode  in  which  that  possession  is  obtained. 
They  are  favourite  terms  with  the  sacred  writers,  because  possession  by 
inheritance  was  much  more  secure  than  that  obtained  by  purchase  or  by 
any  other  method.  There  are  three  ideas  included  in  these  words  acces- 
sory to  that  which  constitutes  their  prominent  meaning;  the  right, 
the  certainty,  and  the  unalienable  character  of  the  possession.  Hence, 
when  the  apostle  says,  believers  are  the  heirs  of  God,  he  means  to  recog- 
nise their  title,  in  and  through  the  Redeemer,  to  the  promised  good,  as 
well  as  the  certainty  and  security  of  the  possession.  "  And  if  ye  be 
Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  according  to  the  promise," 
Gal.  3  :  29»  In  Gal.  4  :  7,  we  have  the  same  argument  as  in  the  passage 
before  us,  "  Wherefore  thou  art  no  more  a  servant,  but  a  son  ;  and  if  a  son, 
then  an  heir  of  God  through  Christ;"  see  Col.  3  :  24.  Heb.  9:  15.  Eph. 
1  :  14,  &c.  Joint  heirs  with  Christ.  These  words  are  intended  to  desig- 
nate the  inheritance  which  believers  are  to  receive.  It  is  not  any  posses- 
sion in  this  world,  but  it  is  that  good  of  which  Christ  himself  is  the  reci- 
pient; we  are  to  be  partakers  of  his  inheritance.  This  idea  is  frequently 
presented  in  the  Scriptures.  "  Enter  ye  into  the  joy  of  your  Lord,"  Matt. 
25  :  21  ;  "  That  ye  may  eat  and  drink  at  my  table  in  my  kingdom,"  Luke 
22  :  30 ;  "  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my 
throne,"  &c.  Rev.  3 :  21,  and  in  many  other  places. 

^  so  be  that  we  suffer  with  him,  that  we  may  also  be  glorified  together. 
That,  at  the  beginning  of  the  second  clause,  expresses  merely  the  result. 
*  If  we  suffer,  then  also  shall  we  be  glorified.'  The  union  of  believers 
with  Christ,  in  suffering  as  well  as  in  glory,  is  what  he  and  his  apostles 
taught  them  to  expect.     "  If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny 


ROMANS  8:  12—38.  195 

liimself,  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  we,"  Matt.  16  :  24 ;  "If  we  be 
dead  with  him^  we  shall  also  live  with  him.  If  we  suffer,  we  shall  also 
reign  with  ^m,"  2  Tim.  2 :  11,  12. 

(18)  For  I  reckon  that  the  sufferings  of  this  present  time  are  notwor- 
thy  to  be  compared,  &c.  '  If  children,  then  heirs,  for  I  do  not  think  our 
present  sufferings  inconsistent  with  our  being  either  the  children  or  heirs 
of  God.  1.  Because  they  are  comparatively  insignificant,  vs.  18 — 23; 
and  2.  Because  we  are  sustained  under  them,  vs.  24 — 28.'  In  2  Cor.  4  : 
17,  Paul  speaks  much  in  the  same  manner  of  the  lightness  of  the  afflic- 
tions of  this  life  in  comparison  with  the  glory  that  shall  be  revealed  in  us. 
We  are  not  only  the  recipients  of  a  great  favour,  but  the  subjects  in  which 
a  great  display  of  the  divine  glory  is  to  be  made  to  others,  Eph.  3 :  10. 
It  is  a  revelation  of  glory  in  us ;  see  Col.  3  :  4.  1  John  3  :  2. 

The  apostle,  fired  with  the  thought  of  the  future  glory  of  the  saints, 
pours  forth  the  splendid  passage  which  follows  (vs.  19 — 23),  in  which  he 
represents  the  whole  creation  groaning  under  its  present  degradation,  and 
looking  and  longing  for  the  revelation  of  this  glory  as  the  end  and  con- 
summation of  its  existence. 

(19)  For  the  earnest  expectation  of  the  creature  waiteth  for  the  mani- 
festation of  the  sons  of  God.  This  and  the  following  verses  are  evidently 
intended  to  exalt  our  conceptions  of  the  future  glory  of  the  children  of 
God,  in  order  to  illustrate  the  truth  of  the  declaration,  that,  in  comparison 
with  that  glory,  the  evils  of  the  present  state  are  not  worthy  of  a  thought. 
The  earnest  expectation.  This  is  a  strong  expression.  The  Greek  word 
is  etymologically  expressive  of  the  gesture  of  expectation,  a  looking  with 
outstretched  neck. 

What  is  meant  in  this  passage  by  the  creature,  and  afterwards  by  the 
whole  creation,  is  a  very  difficult  question.  As  the  usage  of  the  term 
admits  of  various  interpretations,  the  decision  of  the  point  must  rest  on 
the  context.  With  which  well  authorized  sense  of  the  word  rendered 
creature  (^KTiais)  will  the  context  best  agree?  To  answer  this  question 
we  must  know  what  the  context  means.  It  will,  therefore,  be  better  to 
defer  any  remarks  on  this  point,  until  after  the  examination  of  the  few 
next  succeeding  verses. 

The  first  thing  asserted  of  this  creature  is,  that  it  waits  for  the  manifes- 
iaiion  of  the  sons  of  God.  That  is,  for  the  time  when  they  shall  be  mani- 
fested in  their  true  character  and  glory  as  his  sons.  "  Beloved,  now  are 
we  the  sons  of  God ;  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be ;  but  we 
know  that,  when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him,"  1  John  3  :  2. 
The  period  thus  designated  is  one  for  which  the  whole  creation  longs, 
because  it  is  to  share  in  the  glory  then  to  be  revealed.  From  this  verse, 
and  from  v.  23,  it  is  plain  that  the  creation  and  sons  of  God  are  distinct. 

(20)  For  the  creature  was  made  subject  to  vanity,  &c.  There  are  in 
this  verse  three  reasons  expressed  or  implied,  why  the  creature  thus 
waits  for  the  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God.  The  first  is,  that  it  ia 
now  in  a  miserable  condition,  "  subject  to  vanity."     2.  That  tliis  subjee- 


196  ROMANS  8:  12—28. 

tion  was  not  voluntary,  but  imposed  by  God.  3.  That  it  was  never 
designed  to  be  final. 

The  creature  is  subject  to  vanity.  As  remarked  above  (ch.  1  :  21), 
vanity  and  wickedness  are  very  nearly  associated  ideas  in  the  Scripture; 
vain  or  foolish  being  often  synonymous  with  corrupt  or  wicked.  Vanity^ 
therefore,  is  interchanged  with  corruption 'va.  the  next  verse,  and  expresses 
both  the  idea  of  frailty  (corruption),  and  consequently  misery.  It  is  the 
opposite  of  the  glorious  state  expected,  and,  therefore,  expresses  every 
thing  which  distinguishes  unfavourably  the  present  from  the  glorious 
future.  To  this  state  the  creature  was  made  subject,  not  willingly^  hut  hy 
reason  of  him  who  hath  subjected  the  same  in  hope.  Not  willingly^  i.  e. 
not  of  its  own  accord.  The  state  of  corruption  is  one  to  which  it  was 
loath  to  be  made  subject,  and  from  which  it  would  fain  be  delivered.  Or, 
not  by  its  own  free  act,  but  the  act  of  another.  Which  idea  should  be 
preferred  depends  on  the  manner  in  which  the  next  clause  is  understood. 

By  reason  of  him  who  hath  subjected.  The  original  may  mean  either, 
on  account  of  him,  &c.,  or  by  him.  If  the  former  rendering  be  preferred, 
the  passage  means, '  The  creature  was  made  subject  to  its  present  degraded 
condition,  not  from  any  fondness  for  it,  but  out  of  regard  to  the  authority 
of  God.'  If  the  latter,  the  meaning  is,  '  This  subjection  was  not  the  result 
of  the  voluntary  act  of  the  creature,  but  was  effected  by  God.'  The  former 
is  best  suited  to  the  usual  force  of  this  preposition  here  used,  when  con- 
nected with  the  accusative,  but  the  latter  gives  the  better  sense;  and  is 
by  no  means  inconsistent  with  the  use  of  the  preposition  in  question, 
and  is,  therefore,  to  be  preferred.  The  words  in  hope  may  be  connected 
either  with  the  immediately  preceding  clause,  God  hath  subjected  it  in 
hope ;  or  with  the  previous  member  of  the  sentence,  '  The  creature  was 
made  subject  to  vanity  (not  voluntarily,  but  by  God)  in  hope."*  That  is, 
the  subjection  was  not  hopeless,  see  Acts  2 :  26.  The  latter  mode  is 
much  to  be  preferred  on  account  of  the  following  verse. 

(31)  Because  the  creature  itsef  also,  shall  be  delivered  from  the  bond- 
age  of  corruption,  &c.  This  verse,  according  to  our  version,  assigns  the 
reason  why  the  subjection  of  the  creature  was  not  hopeless.  This  rea- 
son is,  that  the  creature  was  to  share  in  the  glorious  redemption.  The 
particle,  however,  rendered  because,  may  be  rendered  that,  and  the  verse 
then  indicates  the  object  of  the  hope  just  spoken  of.  The  subjection 
was  with  the  hope  that  the  creature  should  be  delivered.  In  either  way 
the  sense  is  nearly  the  same.  The  creature  itself  also  is  another  of  the 
forms  of  expression  which  show  that  Paul  speaks  of  the  creation  in  a 
sense  which  does  not  embrace  the  children  of  God.  Bondage  of  corrup- 
tion,'' i.  e.  bondage  to  corruption.  The  state  of  frailty  and  degradaiion 
spoken  of  above. 

Delivered,  or  liberated  into  the  liberty,  is  an  elliptical  form  of  expres- 
sion for  *•  Delivered  and  introduced  into  the  liberty.''  Liberty  of  glory, 
as  the  words  literally  mean,  or  glorious  liberty,  refer  to  that  liberty 
which  consists  in,  or  is  connected  with  the  glory  which  is  the  end  and 


ROMANS  8  :  12—28.  197 

consummation  of  the  work  of  redemption.  This  word  often  is  used  for 
the  whole  of  the  results  of  the  work  of  Christ  as  far  as  his  people  are 
concerned.  (See  v.  18.)  The  creature  then  is  to  be  a  partaker  in  some 
way,  according  to  its  nature,  of  the  glories  in  reserve  for  the  sons  of  God. 

(22)  For  we  know  that  the  whole  creation  groaneth  and  travaileth  in 
pain  together  until  now.  This  verse  is  a  repetition  and  confirmation  of 
the  preceding  sentiment.  'The  creature  is  subject  to  vanity,  and  longs 
for  deliverance;  for  we  see,  from  universal  and  long  continued  expe- 
rience, the  whole  creation  groaning  and  travailing  in  pain.'  It  is,  how- 
ever, as  Calvin  remarks,  the  pains  of  birth,  and  not  of  death.  After 
sorrow  comes  the  joy  of  a  new  existence.  The  word  together  may  have 
reference  to  the  whole  creation  which  groans  together,  all  its  parts  uniting 
and  sympathizing  ;  or  it  may  refer  to  the  sons  of  God,  '  For  the  whole 
creation  groans  together  with  the  sons  of  God.'  On  account  of  the  fol- 
lowing verse,  in  which  Christians  are  specially  introduced  as  joining 
with  the  whole  creation  in  this  sense  of  present  misery  and  desire  of  fu- 
ture good,  the  former  method  of  understanding  the  passage  seems  pre- 
ferable. Until  now,  from  the  beginning  until  the  present  time.  The 
creature  has  always  been  looking  forward  to  the  day  of  redemption. 

(23)  w^nd  not  only  so,  but  ourselves  also,  who  have  the  first-fruits  of 
the  Spirit,  &c.  'Not  only  does  the  whole  creation  thus  groan,  but  we 
ourselves,  we  Christians,  who  have  a  foretaste  of  heavenly  bliss,  the 
first-fruits  of  the  glorious  inheritance,  we  groan  within  ourselves,  and 
long  for  the  consummation  of  glory.'  The  frst fruits  were  that  portion 
of  the  productions  of  the  earth  which  were  offered  to  God.  From  the 
nature  of  the  case,  they  contained  the  evidence  and  assurance  of  the 
whole  harvest  being  secured.  The  idea,  therefore,  of  an  earnest  or 
pledge  is  included  in  the  phrase,  as  well  as  that  of  priority.  See  1  Cor. 
15  :  20.  Rom.  11 :  16.  16  :  5.  1  Cor.  16  :  15.  James  1  :  18.  The  phrases, 
therefore,  the  Spirit  which  is  the  frstfruits,  and  the  Spirit  which  is  an 
earnest,  are  synonymous.  The  Spirit  is  the  first-fruits  of  the  full  in- 
heritance of  the  saints  in  light.  The  expression  in  the  text,  therefore,  is 
descriptive  of  all  Christians,  and  not  of  any  particular  class  of  them ; 
that  is,  it  is  not  to  be  confined  to  those  who  first  received  the  influences 
of  the  Spirit,  or  were  first  converted. 

Even  we  ourselves,  or  and  we  ourselves.  '  Not  only  the  whole  crea- 
tion, but  we  Christians,  even  we,'  &c.  Groan  within  ourselves,  wait- 
ing for  the  adoption,  to  wut,  the  redemption  of  our  body.  What  in  the 
previous  verse  he  had  called  the  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God,  he 
here  calls  the  adoption;  the  time  when  it  shall  appear  what  we  shall  be, 
as  the  apostle  John  expresses  it.  The  redemption  of  the  body  is  not  so 
in  opposition  with  the  adoption  that  the  two  phrases  are  equivalent. 
The  adoption  includes  far  more  than  the  redemption  of  the  body.  But 
the  latter  event  is  to  be  coincident  with  the  former,  and  is  included  in  it 
as  one  of  its  most  prominent  parts.  Both  expressions,  therefore,  desig- 
nate the  same  period.    '  We  wait  for  the  time  when  we  shall  be  fully 

r2 


198  ROMANS  8:  12—28. 

recognised  as  the  children  of  God,  i.  e.  for  the  time  when  our  vile  bodies 
shall  be  fashioned  like  unto  the  glorious  body  of  the  Son  of  God.'  This 
is  the  period  towards  which  all  eyes  and  all  hearts  have  been  directed 
among  those  who  have  had  the  first-fruits  of  the  Spirit  since  the  fall  of 
Adam ;  and  for  which  the  whole  creation  groaneth  and  is  in  travail  even 
until  now. 


The  principal  arguments  in  favour  of  the  interpretation  just  given  of 
this  interesting  passage,  are  the  following: 

The  word  rendered  creature  means  the  act  of  founding  or  creating, 
Rom.  1 :  20;  and  then  that  which  is  created,  Rom.  1  :  25.  Col.  1  :  15. 
The  expression  the  whole  creation  may,  according  to  the  context,  mean 
the  rational  or  irrational  creation.  That  in  this  case  it  refers  to  the  latter 
may  be  argued,  1.  Because  it  cannot  be  said  of  mankind  generally,  or  of 
the  rational  creation,  that  they  are  waiting  with  earnest  desire  for  the 
manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God  ;  that  they  were  made  subject  to  their 
present  state  of  corruption  not  of  their  own  accord,  but  by  God  ;  and  that 
they  are  to  be  made  partakers  of  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God. 
2.  All  this  can  be  said,  in  strict  accordance  with  the  Scriptures,  of  the 
external  world.  The  Scriptures  frequently  speak  of  the  whole  creation 
as  a  sentient  being,  rejoicing  in  God's  favour,  trembling  at  his  anger, 
speaking  abroad  his  praise,  &c.,  as  Paul  here  represents  it  as  longing  for 
the  great  consummation  of  all  things.  Again,  it  is  agreeable  to  Scrip- 
ture to  speak  of  the  earth  as  cursed  for  man's  sake,  as  made  subject  to 
vanity  not  on  its  own  account,  but  by  the  act  of  God  in  punishment  of 
the  sins  of  men.  Finally,  it  is  according  to  the  word  of  God  to  repre- 
sent the  creation  as  participating  in  the  blessings  and  glories  of  the  Mes- 
siah's reign.  Isa.  35  :  1.  29  :  17.  32  :  15,  16.  2  Pet.  3  :  7—13.  Heb. 
12  :  26,  27.  3.  This  interpretation  is  suitable  to  the  design  of  the  apos- 
tle. Paul's  object  is  not  to  confirm  the  certainty  of  a  future  state,  but  to 
produce  a  strong  impression  of  its  glorious  character.  Nothing  could  be 
better  adapted  to  this  object  than  the  grand  and  beautiful  figure  of  the 
whole  creation  waiting  and  longing  for  the  glorious  revelation  of  the  Son 
of  God,  and  the  consummation  of  his  kinardom. 


(24,  25)  The  apostle,  intending  to  show  that  the  present  afflictions  of 
believers  are  not  inconsistent  with  their  being  the  children  of  God,  and 
are  therefore  no  ground  of  discouragement,  refers  not  only  to  their  compa- 
rative insignificance,  but  also  to  the  necessity  which  there  is,  from  the 
nature  of  the  case,  for  these  sufferings.  '  Salvation,  in  its  fulness,  is  not 
a  present  good,  but  a  matter  of  hope,  and  of  course  future;  and  if  future, 
it  follows  that  we  must  wait  for  it  in  patient  and  joyful  expectation.' 
While,  therefore,  waiting  for  salvation  is  necessary  from  the  nature  of 
the  case,  the  nature  of  the  blessing  waited  for,  converts  expectation  into 
desire,  and  enables  us  patiently  to  endure  all  present  evils. 


ROMANS  8  :  12—28.  199 

For  we  are  saved  by  hope.  At  the  close  of  the  preceding  verse  Paul 
had  spoken  of  believers  as  "  waiting  for  the  adoption,''''  They  thus  wait, 
because  salvation  is  not  a  present  good,  but  a  future  one.  W'e  are  saved 
in  hope,  i.  e.  in  prospect.  The  dative,  in  which  form  the  word  for  hope 
here  occurs,  does  not  in  this  case  express  the  means  by  which  any  thing 
is  done,  but  the  condition  or  circumstances  in  which  it  is.  It  is,  there- 
fore, analogous  to  our  forms  of  expression,  we  have  a  thing  in  expectation 
or  prospect.  Salvation  is  a  blessing  we  have  in  hope,  not  in  possession  ; 
if  it  be  the  one,  it  cannot  be  the  other,  since  hope  that  is  seen  is  not  hope. 
It  lies  in  the  nature  of  hope  that  its  object  must  be  future.  The  w'ord  hope 
is  here  used  objectively  for  the  thing  hoped  for,  as  in  Col.  1  :  5,  "The 
hope  that  is  laid  up  for  you  in  heaven  ;"  Heb.  6  :  18.  Eph.  1  :  18,  &c. 
The  latter  clause  of  the  verse,  for  what  a  man  seeth  why  doth  he  yet  hope 
for,  is  only  a  confirmation  of  the  previous  declaration  that  it  lies  in  the 
nature  of  hope  to  have  reference  to  the  future. 

(25)  But  if  we  hope  for  that  we  see  not,  &c.  That  is,  '  If  hope  has 
reference  to  the  unseen  and  the  future,  then  as  salvation  is  a  matter  of 
hope,  it  is  a  matter  to  be  waited  for.'  It  results,  therefore,  from  the  nature 
of  theplan  of  redemption,  that  the  full  fruition  of  ils  blessing  should  not 
be  obtained  at  once,  but  that,  through  much  tribulation,  believers  should 
enter  into  the  kingdom ;  consequently,  their  being  called  upon  to  suffer 
is  not  at  all  inconsistent  with  their  being  sons  and  heirs.  Then  do  we 
with  patience  wait  for  it.  There  is  something  more  implied  in  these 
words  than  that  salvation,  because  unseen,  must  be  waited  for.  This  no 
doubt,  from  the  connexion,  is  the  main  idea,  but  w^e  not  only  wait,  but  we 
wait  with  patience  or  constancy.  There  is  something  in  the  very  expec- 
tation of  future  good,  and,  especially,  of  such  good,  the  glory  that  shall  be 
revealed  in  us,  to  produce  not  only  the  patient,  but  even  joyful  endurance 
of  all  present  suffering. 

(26)  Not  only  so.  Not  only  does  hope  thus  cheer  and  support  the  suf- 
fering believer,  but  likewise  the  Spirit  also  helpeth  our  infirmities.  Like." 
wise,  literally,  in  the  same  way.  As  hope  sustains,  so,  in  the  same  man- 
ner, the  Spirit  does  also.  Not  that  the  mode  of  assistance  is  the  same, 
but  simply  as  the  one  does,  so  also  does  the  other.  Helpeth,  the  word 
thus  rendered,  means  to  take  hold  of  any  thing  with  another,  to  take  part 
in  his  burden,  and  thus  to  aid.  It  is,  therefore,  peculiarly  expressive  and 
appropriate.  It  represents  the  condescending  Spirit  as  taking  upon  him- 
self, as  it  were,  a  portion  of  our  sorrows  to  relieve  us  of  their  pressure. 
Our  infirmities  is  the  appropriate  rendering  of  the  original,  which  ex- 
presses the  idea  both  of  weakness  and  suffering.  Heb.  4 :  15,  "  We  have 
not  an  high  priest  which  cannot  be  touched  with  a  feeling  of  our  infirmi- 
ties ;"  2  Cor.  12  :  5,  "  I  will  not  glory  but  in  mine  infirmities." 

For  we  knoio  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought;  but  the 
Spirit,  &c.  This  is  said  as  an  illustration  and  confirmation  of  the  previous 
general  declaration ;  it  is  an  example  of  the  way  in  which  the  Spirit  aids 
us.    *  He  helpeth  our  infirmities,  for  he  teaches  us  how  to  pray,  dictating 


200  ROMANS  8:  12—28. 

to  us  our  supplications,'  &c.  The  necessity  for  this  aid  arises  from  our 
ignorance,  we  know  not  what  to  pray  for.  We  cannot  tell  what  is  really 
best  for  us.  Heathen  philosophers  gave  this  as  a  reason  why  men  ought 
not  to  pray !  How  miserable  their  condition  when  compared  to  ours. 
Instead  of  our  ignorance  putting  a  seal  upon  our  lips  and  leaving  our 
hearts  to  break,  the  Spirit  gives  our  desires  a  language  heard  and  under- 
stood of  God.  As  we  do  not  know  how  to  pray,  the  Spirit  teaches  us. 
This  idea  the  apostle  expresses  by  saying  the  Spirit  itself  makeih  inter- 
cession for  us.  The  simple  verb  rendered  he  maketh  intercession^  properly 
means  to  meet^  then  to  approach  any  one  to  make  supplication,  Acts  25  : 
24.  This  supplication  may  be  against  any  one,  Rom.  11  :  2,  or  for  him, 
V.  34.  Heb.  7  :  25.  Hence,  to  intercede  for  is  to  act  the  part  of  advo- 
cate in  behalf  of  any  one.  This  Christ  is  said  to  do  for  us  in  the  last 
two  passages  cited,  as  well  as  in  Heb.  9  :  24.  1  John  2 :  1,  and  John  14  : 
16,  for  Christ  calls  the  Holy  Spirit  "  another  advocate,"  i.  e.  another 
than  himself.  '  This  office  is  ascribed  to  the  Spirit  in  the  last  passage 
quoted  in  John  14  :  26.  15 :  26,  and  16  :  7,  as  well  as  in  the  passage 
before  us.  As  the  Spirit  is  thus  said,  in  the  general,  to  do  for  us  what 
an  advocate  did  for  his  client,  so  he  does  also  what  it  was  the  special 
duty  of  the  advocate  to  perform,  i.  e.  to  dictate  to  his  clients  what  they 
ought  to  say,  how  they  should  present  their  cause.  In  this  sense  the 
present  passage  is  to  be  understood.  '  We  do  not  know  how  to  pray,  but 
the  Spirit  teaches.  He  excites  in  us  those  desires  which,  though  never 
uttered  except  in  sighs,  or  which,  though  too  big  for  utterance,  are 
known  and  heard  of  God.'  It  is  doubtful  whether  Paul  means  to  say 
these  groanings  cannot  be  uttered,  or  simply,  that  they  are  not  uttered  ; 
desires  which  vent  themselves  only  in  sighs.  The  Greek  word  admits 
of  either  sense,  and  either  is  suited  to  the  context. 

(27)  Though  these  desires  are  not  or  cannot  be  clothed  in  words,  the 
eye  of  him  who  searches  the  heart  can  read  and  understand  them  there. 
And  he  who  searcheth  the  hearts  knoweih  what  is  the  mind  of  the  Spi- 
rit. The  conjunction  ought  to  be  rendered  disjunctively.  *  The  groan- 
ings cannot  be  uttered,  hut  they  are  neither  unintelligible  nor  neglected.' 
He  who  searcheth  the  hearts  is  a  common  paraphrase  for  God,  and  here 
most  appropriate.  As  no  man  knoweth  the  thoughts  of  a  man,  save  the 
spirit  of  man  that  is  in  him ;  to  read  those  unexpressed  emotions  of  the 
soul  is  the  prerogative  of  that  Being  to  whose  eyes  all  things  are  naked 
and  opened.  "  I  the  Lord  search  the  heart,  I  try  the  reins,"  Jer.  17  :  10 ; 
see  Ps.  7  :  9.  Rev.  2  :  23,  &c.  &c. 

Knoweth  the  mind  of  the  Spirit.  Not  simply  understands,  but  recog- 
nises and  approves,  as  he  knows  "  the  ways  of  the  righteous,"  Ps.  1  :  6. 
The  former  idea,  that  of  understanding,  though  the  more  prominent,  does 
not  exclude  the  other.  The  mind  of  the  Spirit,  i.  e.  those  feelings  or 
that  state  of  mind  of  which  the  Spirit  is  the  author,  the  desires  which 
the  Spirit  calls  forth  in  our  souls.  The  Spirit  must  necessarily  be  that 
Spirit  which  intercedes  for  the  saints ;  and  which,  in  the  preceding  verso, 


ROMANS  8  :  12—28.  201 

is  expressly  distinguished  from  our  souls.  The  interpretation,  therefore, 
which  makes  "  the  mind  of  the  SpiriV^  mean  the  desires  of  our  spirit^ 
though  it  would  give  a  very  good  sense,  is  irreconcilable  with  the  con- 
text. 

Because  he  maketh  intercession  for  the  saints  according  to  the  will  of 
God.  This  is  the  reason  why  God  is  said  to  know,  i.  e.  not  only  to  un- 
derstand, but  to  approve  the  mind  of  the  Spirit,  or  those  unutterable 
ongings  which  the  Spirit  excites.  Being  produced  by  the  Spirit  of 
God  himself,  they  are,  of  course,  agreeable  lo  the  will  of  God,  and  secure 
of  being  approved  and  answered.  This  is  the  great  consolation  and  sup- 
port of  believers.  They  know  not  either  what  is  best  for  themselves  or 
agreeable  to  the  will  of  God  ;  but  the  Holy  Spirit  dictates  those  petitions 
and  excites  those  desires  which  are  consistent  with  the  divine  purposes, 
and  which  are  directed  towards  blessings  the  best  suited  to  our  wants. 
Such  prayers  are  always  answered.  "And  this  is  the  confidence  that 
we  have  in  him,  that  if  we  ask  any  thing  according  to  his  will,  he  heareth 
us,"  1  John  5  :  14. 

(28)  And  we  know  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that 
love  God,  &c.  This  may  be  regarded  as  virtually,  though  not  formally, 
an  inference  from  what  Paul  had  taught  concerning  afflictions.  As  they 
are  comparatively  insignificant,  as  they  call  forth  the  exercises  of  hope 
and  give  occasion  for  the  kind  interposition  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  far  from 
being  inconsistent  with  our  salvation,  they  contribute  to  our  good.  It 
seems,  however,  more  natural  to  consider  the  apostle  as  presenting  the 
consideration  contained  in  this  verse  as  an  additional  reason  why  the 
afflictions  of  this  life  are  not  inconsistent  with  our  being  the  sons  of  God. 
These  afflictions  are  real  blessings.  All  things,  as  is  usually  the  case 
with  such  general  expressions,  is  to  be  limited  to  the  things  spoken  of 
in  the  context,  i.  e.  the  suflferings  of  the  present  time.  See  1  Cor.  2:  15, 
where  the  spiritual  man  is  said  to  understand  "all  things;"  Col.  1  :  20, 
where  Christ  is  said  to  reconcile  "  all  things  unto  God;"  and  Eph.  1  : 
10,  with  many  other  similar  passages.  Of  course  it  is  not  intended  that 
other  events,  besides  afflictions,  do  not  w^ork  together  for  the  good  of 
Christians,  but  merely  that  this  idea  is  not  here  expressed  by  the  apostle. 
Those  to  whom  afflictions  are  a  real  blessing  are  described,  first,  as 
those  who  love  God;  and,  secondly,  as  those  who  are  called  according 
to  his  purpose.  The  former  of  these  clauses  describes  the  character  of 
the  persons  intended  ;  thei/  love  God,  which  is  a  comprehensive  expres 
sion  for  all  the  exercises  of  genuine  religion.  The  latter  clause  declares 
a  fact,  with  regard  to  all  such,  which  has  a  most  important  bearing  on 
♦he  apostle's  great  object  in  this  chapter,  they  are  called  according  to  his 
purpose.  The  word  called,  as  remarked  above  (1  :  7),  is  never,  in  the 
epistles  of  the  New  Testament,  applied  to  those  who  are  the  recipients 
of  the  mere  external  invitation  of  the  gospel.  It  always  means  effectu- 
ally called,  i.  e.  it  is  always  applied  to  those  who  are  really  brought  to 
accept  of  the  blessings  to  which  they  are  invited.     This  call  is  not 


202  ROMANS  8  :  12—23. 

according  to  the  merits  of  men,  but  according  to  the  divine  purpose. 
"  Who  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with  a  holy  calling,  not  according  to 
our  works,  but  according  to  his  own  purpose  and  grace,  which  was  given 
us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  world  began,"  2  Tim.  1  :  9.  Eph.  1 :  11. 
Rom.  9:11.  The  design  of  the  apostle,  in  the  introduction  of  this  clause, 
seems  to  have  been  twofold.  First,  to  show,  according  to  his  usual 
manner,  that  the  fact  that  some  men  love  God  is  to  be  attributed  to  his 
sovereign  grace,  and  not  to  themselves ;  and,  secondly,  that  if  men  are 
called,  according  to  the  eternal  purpose  of  God,  their  salvation  is  secure. 
By  this  latter  idea  this  clause  is  associated  with  the  passage  that  fol- 
lows, and  with  the  general  object  of  the  chapter.  That  the  calling  of 
men  does  secure  their  salvation  is  proved  in  vs.  29 — 30. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  True  Christians  are  the  sons  of  God,  objects  of  his  affection,  par- 
takers of  his  moral  nature,  and  heirs  of  his  kingdom,  v.  14. 

2.  The  relation  of  God  to  us  is  necessarily  the  counterpart  of  ours  to 
him.  If  we  feel  as  friends  to  him,  he  feels  as  a  friend  towards  us ;  if 
our  sentiments  are  filial,  his  are  parental,  v.  15. 

3.  God,  who  is  every  where  present  and  active,  manifests  his  pre- 
sence, and  communicates  with  his  creatures,  in  a  manner  accordant  with 
their  nature,  although  in  a  way  that  is  inscrutable,  v.  16. 

4.  Assurance  of  salvation  has  a  twofold  foundation.  The  experience 
of  those  affections  which  are  the  evidences  of  true  piety,  and  the  witness 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  latter  can  never  be  separated  from  the  former ; 
for  the  Spirit  can  never  testify  to  what  is  not  the  truth.  He  can  never 
assure  an  enemy  that  he  is  a  child  of  God,  v.  16. 

5.  Union  with  Christ  is  the  source  of  all  our  blessings  of  justification 
and  sanctification,  as  taught  in  the  previous  chapters,  and  of  salvation, 
as  taught  in  this,  v.  17. 

6.  Afflictions  are  not  inconsistent  with  the  divine  favour,  nor  with  our 
being  the  sons  of  God,  vs.  18 — 25. 

7.  The  future  glory  of  the  saints  must  be  inconceivably  great,  if  the 
whole  creation,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  groans  and  longs  for 
its  manifestation,  vs.  19 — 23. 

8.  The  curse  consequent  on  the  fall  has  affected  the  state  of  the  exter- 
nal world.  The  consummation  of  the  work  of  redemption  may  be  at- 
tended with  its  regeneration,  vs.  20 — 22. 

9.  The  present  influences  of  the  Spirit  are  first-fruits  of  the  inherit- 
ance of  the  saints ;  the  same  in  kind  with  the  blessings  of  the  future 
state,  though  less  in  degree.  They  are  a  pledge  of  future  blessedness, 
and  always  produce  an  earnest  longing  for  the  fruition  of  the  full  inherit- 
ance, V.  23. 

10.  As,  for  wise  reasons,  salvation  is  not  immediately  consequent  on 
regeneration,  hope,  which  is  the  joyful  expectation  of  future  good,  b<> 
comes  the  duty,  solace,  and  support  of  the  Christian,  vs.  24,  25. 


ROMANS  8:  12—28.  203 

11.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  our  Paraclete  (John  14:  16)  or  advocate,  we 
are  his  clients,  we  know  not  how  to  plead  our  own  cause,  but  he  dictates 
to  us  what  we  ought  to  say.  This  office  of  the  Spirit  ought  to  be  recog- 
nised, sought,  and  gratefully  acknowledged,  v.  26. 

12.  Prayer  to  be  acceptable  must  be  according  to  the  will  of  God, 
and  it  always  is  so  when  it  is  dictated  or  excited  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
V.  27. 

13.  All  events  are  under  the  control  of  God;  and  even  the  greatest 
afflictions  are  productive  of  good  to  those  who  love  him,  v.  28. 

14.  The  calling  or  conversion  of  men,  involving  so  many  of  their  free 
acts,  is  a  matter  of  divine  purpose,  and  it  occurs  in  consequence  of  its 
being  so,  v.  28. 

REMARKS. 

1.  If  God,  by  his  Spirit,  condescends  to  dwell  in  us,  it  is  our  highest 
duty  to  allow  ourselves  to  be  governed  or  led  by  him,  vs.  12,  13. 

2.  It  is  a  contradiction  in  terms,  to  profess  to  be  the  sons  of  God,  if 
destitute  of  the  filial  feelings  of  confidence,  affection,  and  reverence, 
V.  15. 

3.  A  spirit  of  fear,  so  far  from  being  an  evidence  of  piety,  is  an 
evidence  of  the  contrary.  The  filial  spirit  is  the  genuine  spirit  of  reli- 
gion, V.  15. 

4.  Assurance  of  hope  is  not  fanatical,  but  is  an  attainment  which  every 
Christian  should  make.  If  the  witness  of  men  is  received,  the  witness 
of  God  is  greater.  As  the  manifestation  of  God's  love  to  us  is  made  in 
exciting  our  love  towards  him,  so  the  testimony  of  his  Spirit  with  ours, 
that  we  are  the  sons  of  God,  is  made  when  our  filial  feelings  are  in  lively 
exercise,  v.  16. 

5.  Christians  ought  neither  to  expect  nor  wish  to  have  suffering  with 
Christ  disconnected  with  their  being  glorified  with  him.  The  former  is 
a  preparation  for  the  latter,  v.  17. 

6.  The  afflictions  of  this  life,  though  in  themselves  not  joyous  but 
grievous,  are  worthy  of  little  regard  in  comparison  with  the  glory  that 
shall  be  revealed  in  us.  To  bear  these  trials  properly,  we  should  think 
much  of  the  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God,  v.  18. 

7.  As  the  present  state  of  things  is  one  of  bondage  to  corruption,  as 
there  is  a  dreadful  pressure  of  sin  and  misery  on  the  whole  creation,  we 
should  not  regard  the  world  as  our  home,  but  desire  deliverance  from  this 
bondage,  and  introduction  into  the  liberty  of  the  children  of  God,  vs. 
19—22. 

8.  It  is  characteristic  of  genuine  piety  to  have  exalted  conceptions  of 
future  blessedness,  and  earnest  longings  after  it.  Those,  therefore,  who 
are  contented  with  the  world  and  indifferent  about  heaven,  can  hardly 
possess  the  first-fruits  of  the  Spirit,  v.  23. 

9.  Hope  and  patience  are  always  united.  If  we  have  a  well-founded 
hope  of  heaven,  then  do  we  with  patience  and  fortitude  wait  for  it.    This 


204"  ROMANS  8:  29—39. 

believing  resignation  and  joyful  expectation  of  the  promises  are  pecu 
liarly  pleasing  in  the  sight  of  God  and  honourable  to  religion,  vs.  24,  25. 

10.  How  wonderful  the  condescension  of  the  Holy  Spirit!  How 
great  his  kindness  in  teaching  us,  as  a  parent  his  children,  how  to  pray 
and  what  to  pray  for !  How  abundant  the  consolation  thus  afforded  to 
the  pious  in  the  assurance  that  their  prayers  shall  be  heard,  vs.  26,  27. 

11.  Those  who  are  in  Christ,  who  love  God,  may  repose  in  perfect 
security  beneath  the  shadow  of  his  wings.  All  things  shall  work 
together  for  their  good,  because  all  things  are  under  the  control  of  him 
who  has  called  them  to  the  possession  of  eternal  life  according  to  his  own 
purpose,  V.  28. 

CHAP.  8 :  29—39. 

^^For  whom  he  did  foreknow,  he  also  did  predestinate  to  he  conformed 
to  the  image  of  his  Son,  that  he  might  be  the  first-born  among  many 
brethren.  ^"Moreover  whom  he  did  predestinate  them  he  also  called :  and 
whom  he  called,  them  he  also  justified  :  and  whom  he  justified,  them  he 
also  glorified.  3i\Yhat  shall  we  then  say  to  these  things  ?  If  God  he  for 
us,  who  can  he  against  us  ?  ^^Yie  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered 
him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things  ? 
*3Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect  1  //  is  God  that 
justifieth.  34^t^Q  Is  lie  that  condemneth'?  //  is  Christ  that  died,  yea 
rather,  that  is  risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who  also 
maketh  intercession  for  us.  ^^Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of 
Christ  1  shall  tribulation,  or  distress,  or  persecution,  or  famine,  or  naked- 
ness, or  peril,  or  sword  ?  ^^As  it  is  written.  For  thy  sake  we  are  killed 
all  the  day  long;  we  are  accounted  as  sheep  for  the  slaughter.  ^'Nay, 
in  all  these  things  we  are  more  than  conquerors  through  him  that  loved 
us.  38Pqp  j  ^yo.  persuaded,  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor 
principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  ^^nor 
height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us 
from  the  love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. 

ANALYSIS. 

This  section  contains  the  exhibition  of  two  additional  arguments  in 
favour  of  the  safety  of  believers.  The  first  of  these  is  founded  on  the 
decree  or  purpose  of  God,  vs.  29,  30  ;  and  the  second,  on  his  infinite  and 
unchanging  love,  vs.  31 — 39.  In  his  description  of  those  with  regard  to 
whom  all  things  shall  work  together  for  good,  Paul  had  just  said  thai 
they  were  such  who  are  called  or  converted  in  execution  of  a  previous 
purpose  of  God,  v.  28.  If  this  is  the  case,  the  salvation  of  believers  is 
secure,  because  the  plan  on  which  God  acts  is  connected  in  all  its  parts  ; 
whom  he  foreknows,  he  predestinates,  calls,  justifies,  and  glorifies. 
Those,  therefore,  who  are  called,  shall  certainly  be  saved,  vs.  29,  30. 
Secondly,  if  God  is  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us  \    If  God  so  loved  us  as 


ROMANS  8  :  29—39.  205 

to  give  his  Son  for  us,  he  will  certainly  save  us,  vs.  31,  32.  This  love 
has  already  secured  our  justification,  and  has  made  abundant  provision 
for  the  supply  of  all  our  wants,  vs.  33,  34. 

The  triumphant  conclusion  from  all  these  arguments,  that  nothing  shall 
separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ,  but  that  we  shall  be  more  than  con- 
querors over  all  enemies  and  difficulties,  is  given  in  vs.  35 — 39. 

COMMENTARY. 

(29)  For  whom  he  did  foreknow^  he  also  did  predestinate^  &c.  The 
connexion  of  this  verse  with  the  preceding,  and  the  force  of  for,  appears 
from  what  has  already  been  said.  Believers  are  called  in  accordance  with 
a  settled  plan  and  purpose  of  God, /or  whom  he  calls  he  had  previously 
predestinated  :  and  as  all  the  several  steps  or  stages  of  our  salvation  are 
included  in  this  plan  of  the  unchanging  God,  if  we  are  predestinated  and 
called,  we  shall  be  justified  and  glorified. 

Whom  he  did  foreknow.  As  the  words  to  know  and  foreknow  are 
used  in  three  different  senses,  applicable  to  the  present  passage,  there  is 
considerable  diversity  of  opinion  which  should  be  preferred.  The  word 
may  ex^^xess prescience  simply,  according  to  its  literal  meaning;  or,  as  to 
know  is  often  to  approve  and  love,  it  may  express  the  idea  of  peculiar 
affection  in  this  case  ;  or  it  may  mean  to  select  ox  determine  upon.  Among 
those  who  adopt  one  or  the  other  of  these  general  views,  there  is  still  a 
great  diversity  as  to  the  manner  in  which  they  understand  the  passage. 
These  opinions  are  too  numerous  to  be  here  recited. 

As  the  literal  meaning  of  the  word  to  foreknow  gives  no  adequate  sense, 
inasmuch  as  all  men  are  the  objects  of  the  divine  prescience,  whereas  the 
apostle  evidently  designed  to  express  by  the  word  something  that  could 
be  asserted  only  of  a  particular  class ;  those  who  adopt  this  meaning  here 
supply  something  to  make  the  sense  complete.  Who  he  foreknew  woula 
repent  and  believe,  or  who  would  not  resist  his  divine  influence,  or  some 
such  idea.  There  are  two  objections  to  this  manner  of  explaining  the 
passage.  1.  The  addition  of  this  clause  is  entirely  gratuitous;  and,  if 
unnecessary,  it  is,  of  course,  improper.  There  is  no  such  thing  said, 
and,  therefore,  it  should  not  be  assumed,  without  necessity,  to  be  implied. 
2.  It  is  in  direct  contradiction  to  the  apostle's  doctrine.  It  makes  the 
ground  of  our  calling  and  election  to  be  something  in  us,  our  works; 
whereas  Paul  says  that  such  is  not  the  ground  of  our  being  chosen.  "  "Who 
hath  called  us  not  according  to  our  works,  but  according  to  his  own  pur- 
pose and  grace,"  &c.,  2  Tim.  1  :  9.  Rom.  9:  11,  where  the  contrary  doc- 
trine is  not  only  asserted,  but  proved  and  defended. 

The  second  and  third  interpretations  do  not  essentially  differ.  The  one 
is  but  a  modification  of  the  other;  for  whom  God  peculiarly  loves,  he 
does  thereby  distinguish  from  others,  which  is  in  itself  a  selecting  or 
choosing  of  them  from  among  others.  The  usage  of  the  word  is  favour- 
able to  either  modification  of  this  general  idea  of  preferring.  "  The  peo- 
ple which  he  foreknew,"  i.  e.  loved  or  selected,  Rom.  11:2;  "  "Who 

S 


206  ROMANS  8  :  29—39. 

verily  was  fore-ordained  (Gr.  foreknown)^  i.  e.  fixed  upon^  chosen  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world,"  1  Pet.  1  :  20.  2  Tim.  2  :  19.  John  10  :  14, 
15  ;  see  also  Acts  2  :  23.  1  Pet.  1 :  2.  The  idea,  therefore,  obviously  is, 
that  those  whom  God  peculiarly  loved,  and  by  thus  loving  distinguished 
or  selected  from  the  rest  of  mankind ;  or  to  express  both  ideas  in  one 
word,  those  whom  he  elected  he  predestined,  &c. 

He  also  did  predestinate  to  he  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son.  To 
predestinate  is  to  destine  or  appoint  beforehand,  as  the  original  word  is 
used  in  Acts  4  :  28,  "  To  do  whatsoever  thy  hand  and  counsel  determined 
before  to  be  done ;"  "  Having  predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption  of 
children,"  Eph.  1:5;  "  Being  predestinated  according  to  the  purpose 
of  him  who  worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will,"  Eph.  1: 
11.  In  all  the  cases  in  which  this  predestination  is  spoken  of,  the  idea 
is  distinctly  recognised,  that  the  ground  of  the  choice  which  it  implies  is 
not  in  us.  We  are  chosen  in  Christ,  or  according  to  the  free  purpose  of 
God,  &c.  This  is  a/ore-ordination,  a  determination  which  existed  in  the 
divine  mind  long  prior  to  the  occurrence  of  the  event,  even  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  Eph.  1  :  4  ;  so  that  the  occurrences  in  time  are  the 
manifestations  of  the  eternal  purpose  of  God,  and  the  execution  of  the 
plan  of  which  they  form  a  part. 

The  end  to  which  those  whom  God  has  chosen,  are  predestined,  is 
conformity  to  the  image  of  his  Son,  i.  e.  that  they  might  be  like  his  Son 
in  character  and  destiny.  He  hath  chosen  us  "•  that  we  should  be  holy 
and  without  blame  before  him,"  Eph.  1  :  4.  4:  24.  "  He  hath  predes- 
tined us  to  the  adoption,"  i.  e.  to  the  state  of  sons,  Eph.  1  :  5.  "As  we 
have  borne  the  image  of  the  earthy,  we  shall  also  bear  the  image  of  the 
heavenly,"  1  Cor.  15  :  49  ;  see  Phil.  3  :  21.  1  John  3:2.  As  Paul  in 
verse  17,  had  spoken  of  our  suffering  with  Christ,  and  in  the  subsequent 
passage  was  principally  employed  in  showing  that  though  in  this  respect 
we  must  be  like  Christ,  it  was  not  inconsistent  with  our  being  sons  and 
heirs,  so  here,  when  we  are  said  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  Christ, 
the  idea  of  our  bearing  the  same  cross  is  not  to  be  excluded.  We  are  to 
be  like  our  Saviour  in  moral  character,  in  our  present  sufferings  and 
future  glory. 

That  he  might  he  the  first-horn  among  many  hrethren.  This  clause 
may  express  the  design  or  merely  the  result  of  what  had  just  been  said. 

*  God  predestinated  us  to  be  sons,  in  order  that  Christ  might  be,'  &c.  or 

*  He  made  us  his  sons,  hence  Christ  is,'  &c.  The  first-horn  generally 
expresses  merely  the  idea  of  pre-eminence.  Ps.  89  :  27,  "I  will  make 
him  my  first-born,"  i.  e.  I  will  highly  distinguish  him.  Col.  1 :  15, 
*' First-born  of  every  creature,"  i.  e.  the  head  of  the  creation.  As  all 
those  who  are  called  are  destined  to  bear  the  image  of  Christ,  to  share  in 
the  dicrnity,  purity,  and  blessedness  of  the  children  of  God,  the  result  will 
be,  that  Christ,  who  partakes  of  our  nature,  and  is  not  ashamed  to  call  us 
brethren,  will  be  the  glorious  head  and  leader  of  the  sons  of  God,  a  mul 
titude  which  no  man  can  number. 


ROMANS  8  :  29—39.  207 

(30)  Moreover,  whom  he  did  predestinate^  them  he  also  called.  Those 
whom  he  had  thus  fore-ordained  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son 
in  moral  character,  in  suffering-,  and  in  future  glory,  he  effectually  calls, 
1.  e.  leads  by  the  external  invitation  of  the  gospel,  and  by  the  efficacious 
operation  of  his  grace,  to  the  end  to  which  they  are  destined.  That  the 
calling  here  spoken  of  is  not  the  mere  external  call  of  the  gospel,  is  evi- 
dent both  from  the  usage  of  the  word,  and  from  the  necessity  of  the  case ; 
see  1  Cor.  1:9,"  God  is  faithful  by  whom  ye  were  called  to  the  fellow- 
ship of  his  Son,"  i.  e.  effectually  brought  into  union  with  him.  This  use 
of  the  word,  thus  common  in  the  New  Testament,  is  obviously  necessary 
here,  because  the  apostle  is  speaking  of  a  call  which  is  peculiar  to  those 
who  are  finally  saved.  Whom  he  calls  he  justifies  and  glorifies;  see 
also  verse  28. 

Whom  he  called,  them  he  also  justified ;  and  whom,  he  justified,  them  he 
also  glorified.  The  past  tense  here  used  may  express  the  idea  of 
frequency.  Whom  he  calls,  he  is  wont  to  justify ;  and  whom  he  is 
wont  to  justify,  he  is  accustomed  to  glorify.  So  that  the  meaning  is  the 
same  as  though  the  present  tense  had  been  used,  '  W^hom  he  calls,  he  jus- 
tifies,' &c. ;  see  James  1:  11.  1  Pet.  1  :  24,  where  the  same  tense  is 
rendered  as  the  present,  "  The  grass  withereth,  and  the  flower  thereof 
falleth  away."  Or  the  past  is  employed,  because  Paul  is  speaking  of 
that  God,  who  sees  the  end  from  the  beginning,  and  in  whose  decree  and 
purpose  all  future  events  are  comprehended  and  fixed  ;  so  that  in  predes- 
tinating us,  he  at  the  same  time,  in  effect,  called,  justified,  and  glorified 
us,  as  all  these  were  included  in  his  purpose. 

The  justification  here  spoken  of,  is  doubtless  that  of  which  the  apos- 
tle has  been  speaking  throughout  the  epistle,  the  regarding  and  treat- 
ing sinners  as  just,  for  the  sake  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ.  The 
blessings  of  grace  are  never  separated  from  each  other.  Election,  call- 
ing, justification,  and  salvation  are  indissolubly  united ;  and,  therefore, 
he  who  has  clear  evidence  of  his  being  called,  has  the  same  evidence  of 
his  election  and  final  salvation.  This  is  the  very  idea  the  apostle  means 
to  present  for  the  consolation  and  encouragement  of  believers.  They 
have  no  cause  for  despondency  if  the  children  of  God,  and  called  according 
to  his  purpose,  because  nothing  can  prevent  their  final  salvation. 

(31)  What  shall  we  say  to  these  things  P  That  is,  what  is  the  infer- 
ence from  all  that  has  hitherto  been  said  1  If  God  he  for  us,  if  he  has  de- 
livered us  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death,  if  he  has  renewed  us  by  his  Spirit 
which  dwells  within  us,  if  he  recognises  us  as  his  children  and  his  heirs, 
and  has  predestinated  us  to  holiness  and  glory,  who  can  be  against  us? 
If  God's  love  has  led  to  all  the  good  just  specified,  what  have  we  to  fear 
for  the  future]  He  who  spared  not  his  own  Son  will  freely  give  us  all 
things.  This  verse  shows  clearly  what  has  been  the  apostle's  object 
from  the  beginning  of  the  chapter.  He  wished  to  demonstrate  that  to 
those  who  accede  to  the  plan  of  salvation  which  he  taught,  i.  e.  to  those 
who  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  there  is  no  ground  of  apprehension;  their  final 


208^  ROMANS  8  :  29—39. 

salvation  is  fully  secured.  The  conclusion  of  the  chapter  is  a  recapitula 
tion  of  all  his  former  arguments,  or  rather  the  reduction  of  them  to  one 
which  comprehends  them  all  in  their  fullest  force  ;  God  is  for  us.  He, 
as  our  Judge,  is  satisfied ;  as  our  Father,  he  loves  us ;  as  the  supreme 
and  almighty  Controller  of  events,  who  works  all  things  after  the  coun- 
sel of  his  own  will,  he  has  determined  to  save  us ;  and  as  that  Being 
whose  love  is  as  unchangeable  as  it  is  infinite,  he  allows  nothing  to  se- 
parate his  children  from  himself. 

(32)  He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  &c.  That  ground  of  confidence 
and  security  which  includes  all  others,  is  the  love  of  God ;  and  that 
exhibition  of  divine  love  which  surpasses  and  secures  all  others,  is  the 
gift  of  HIS  OWN  Son.  Paul  having  spoken  of  Christians  as  being  God'g 
sons  by  adoption,  was  led  to  designate  Christ  as  his  own  peculiar  Son, 
in  a  sense  in  which  neither  angels  (Heb.  1  :  5)  nor  men  can  be  so  called. 
That  this  is  the  meaning  of  the  phrase  is  evident,  1.  Because  this  is  its 
proper  force ;  oivn  Son  being  opposed  to  adopted  sons.  2.  Because  the 
context  requires  it,  as  Paul  had  spoken  of  those  who  were  sons  in  a  dif- 
ferent sense  just  before.  3.  Because  this  apostle,  and  the  other  sacred 
writers,  designate  Christ  as  Son  of  God  in  the  highest  sense,  as  par- 
taker of  the  divine  nature  ;  see  Rom.  1  :  4. 

But  delivered  him  up  for  us  all.  He  was  delivered  up  to  death  ;  see 
Gal.  1:  4.  Rom.  4:  25.  Isa.  53:  6.  38:  13  (in  the  LXX.),  and  Matt. 
10:  21.  For  us  all;  not  merely  for  our  benefit,  but  in  our  place,-  see 
Rom.  5  :  6,  7,  8,  &c.  Us  all,  in  this  connexion,  can  only  be  understood 
of  all  those  of  whom  Paul  had  been  speaking,  all  who  love  God  and  are 
called  according  to  his  purpose. 

How  shall  he  not  with  him  freely  give  us  all  things  P  If  God  has 
done  the  greater,  he  will  not  leave  the  less  undone.  If  he  has  given  his 
Son  to  death,  he  will  not  fail  to  give  the  Spirit  to  render  that  death  ef- 
fectual. This  is  the  ground  of  the  confidence  of  believers.  They  do 
not  expect  to  attain  salvation  because  they  are  sure  of  their  own  strength 
of  purpose,  but  because  the  love  of  God  towards  them  is  free  and  un- 
bounded, and  having  led  to  the  gift  of  his  Son,  will  not  withhold  those 
lesser  gifts  which  are  necessary  for  their  final  security  and  blessedness. 

(33)  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God^s  elect  ?  This 
and  the  following  verse  show  how  fully  the  security  of  believers  is  pro- 
vided for  by  the  plan  of  redemption.  What  is  it  they  have  to  fear  under 
the  government  of  a  just  and  powerful  God  ]  There  is  nothing  to  be 
dreaded  but  sin;  if  that  be  pardoned  and  removed,  there  is  nothing  left 
to  fear.  In  the  strongest  manner  possible,  the  apostle  declares  that  the 
sins  of  believers  are  pardoned,  and  shows  the  ground  on  which  this  par- 
don rests.  To  them,  therefore,  there  can  be  neither  a  disquieting  accu- 
sation nor  condemnation.  Who  can  lay  any  thing  ?  &c.,  i.  e.  no  one 
".an,  neither  Satan,  conscience,  nor  the  law.  If  the  law  of  God  be  satis- 
fied, "the  strength  of  sin,"  its  condemning  power,  is  destroyed.  Even 
conscience,  though  it  upbraids,  does  not  terrify.     It  produces  the  ingenu 


ROMANS  8:  29—39.  209 

ous  sorrow  of  children,  and  not  the  despairing  anguish  of  the  convict ; 
because  it  sees  that  all  the  ends  of  punishment  are  fully  answered  in  the 
death  of  Christ,  who  bore  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree. 

God''s  elect,  i.  e.  those  whom  God  has  chosen  ;  see  v.  29.  The  word 
elect  is  sometimes  used  in  a  secondary  sense  for  beloved,  which  idea  is 
implied  in  its  literal  sense,  as  those  chosen  are  those  who  are  peculiarly 
beloved.  This  sense  may  be  given  to  it  in  1  Pet.  2  :  4,  "elect  and  pre- 
cious" maybe  'beloved  and  precious;'  Col.  3  :  12,  "as  the  elect  of 
God"  may  be  equal  to  the  beloved  of  God.  But  there  is  not  a  single 
passage  where  the  word  occurs  in  which  it  may  not  be  understood  in  its 
proper  sense.  "  Many  are  called  and  few  chosen,"  Matt.  20  :  16  ;  "  for 
the  elect's  sake,"  24  :  22  ;  "the  chosen  of  God,"  Luke  23 :  35;  "ac- 
cording to  the  faith  of  God's  elect,"  Tit.  1  :  1;  1  Pet.  1 :  1,  2,  "  elect 
according  to  the  foreknowledge  of  God  ;"  see  1  Pet.  2  :  9.  Luke  18:7, 
and  every  other  passage  in  which  the  word  occurs.  This  being  the  pro- 
per meaning  of  the  term,  and  that  which  is  in  strict  accordance  with  the 
scriptural  representation  of  men  under  the  Old  as  well  as  New  Testa- 
ment, as  being  chosen  of  God  to  be  the  recipients  of  peculiar  blessings, 
it  ought  not  to  be  departed  from  here,  especially  as  the  context  renders 
its  being  retained  necessary  to  the  full  expression  of  the  apostle's  mean- 
ing. The  persons  against  whom  he  says  no  accusation  can  be  brought, 
are  those  who  were  chosen,  predestinated,  called,  and  justified. 

It  is  Gad  that  justijieth.  This  and  the  corresponding  phrases  in  the 
next  verse  are  frequently  pointed  interrogatively,  so  as  to  be  read  thus  . 
"  God  who  justifies  ?  Who  is  he  that  condemneth  ]  Christ  who  died  1" 
&c.  The  sense  is  the  same,  but  the  force  and  beauty  of  the  passage  is 
thus  marred.  As  we  are  all  to  stand  before  the  tribunal  of  God,  and  our 
eternal  destiny  is  to  depend  on  his  judgment,  if  he  acquits,  if  he  for 
Christ's  sake  pronounces  us  just,  then  we  are  secure. 

(34)  IVho  is  he  that  condemneth?  i.  e.  no  one  can  condemn.  In  sup- 
port of  this  assertion  there  are,  in  this  verse,  four  conclusive  reasons 
presented  ;  the  death  of  Christ,  his  resurrection,  his  exaltation,  and  his 
intercession.  It  is  Christ  that  died.  By  his  death,  as  an  atonement  for 
our  sins,  all  ground  of  condemnation  is  removed.  Yea,  rather,  that  is 
risen  again.  The  resurrection  of  Christ,  as  the  evidence  of  the  sacri- 
fice of  his  death  being  accepted,  and  of  the  validity  of  all  his  claims,  is 
a  much  more  decisive  proof  of  the  security  of  all  who  trust  in  him  than 
his  death  could  be.  See  ch.  1  :  4.  4  :  25.  Acts  17  :  31.  1  Cor.  15  : 
17,  &c. 

TVho  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  i.  e.  is  associated  with  God 
in  his  universal  dominion.  Ps.  110  :  1,  "  Sit  thou  on  my  right  hand," 
i.  e.  share  my  throne;  Eph.  1:  20.  Rev.  3:  21,  "As  I  also  overcame 
and  am  set  down  with  ray  Father  in  his  throne."  Heb.  1:3,  "  Who 
sat  down  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high."  From  these  and 
other  passages  in  their  connexion,  it  is  evident  that  Christ  is  exalted  to 
universal  dominion,  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  is  given  into  his 

82 


210  ROMANS  8:  29— 39. 

hands.  If  this  is  the  case,  how  great  the  security  it  affords  the  believer? 
He  who  is  engaged  to  effect  his  salvation  is  the  director  of  all  events, 
and  of  all  worlds. 

Who  also  maketh  intercession  for  us,  i.  e.  who  acts  as  our  advocate, 
pleads  our  cause  before  God,  presents  those  considerations  which  secure 
for  us  pardon  and  the  continued  supply  of  the  divine  grace;  see  v.  26. 
Heb.  7  :  25.  9  :  24.  1  John  2:1.  He  is  our  patron,  in  the  Roman  sense 
of  the  word,  one  who  undertakes  our  case ;  an  advocate,  whonm  the 
Father  heareth  always.  How  coniplete  then  the  security  of  those  for 
whom  he  pleads  !  Of  course  this  language  is  figurative  ;  the  meaning 
is,  that  Christ  continues  since  his  resurrection  and  exaltation  to  secure 
for  his  people  the  benefits  of  his  death,  every  thing  comes  from  God 
through  him  and  for  his  sake. 

(35)  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ  P  This  is  the  last 
step  in  the  climax  of  the  apostle's  argument;  the  very  summit  of  the 
mount  of  confidence,  whence  he  looks  down  on  his  enemies  as  powerless, 
and  forward  and  upward  with  full  assurance  of  a  final  and  abundant  tri- 
umph. No  one  can  accuse,  no  one  can  condemn,  no  one  can  separate  us 
from  the  love  of  Christ.  This  last  assurance  gives  permanency  to  the 
value  of  the  other  two. 

The  love  of  Christ  is  clearly  Christ's  love  towards  us,  and  not  ours 
towards  him.  The  latter  indeed  would  give  a  good  sense,  '  Nothing  can 
induce  us  to  give  up  our  love  to  the  Redeemer.'  But  this  interpretation  is 
entirely  inconsistent  with  the  context  and  the  drift  of  the  whole  chapter. 
Paul  was  speaking  of  the  great  love  of  God  towards  us  as  manifested  in 
the  gift  of  his  Son,  and  of  the  love  of  Christ  as  exhibited  in  his  dying, 
rising,  and  interceding  for  us.  This  love,  which  is  so  great,  he  says  is 
unchangeable.  Besides,  the  apostle's  object  in  the  whole  chapter  is  to 
console  and  confirm  the  confidence  of  believers.  The  interpretation  just 
mentioned  is  not  in  accordance  with  this  object.  It  is  no  ground  of  con- 
fidence to  assert  or  even  to  feel  that  we  will  never  forsake  Christ,  but  it 
is  the  strongest  ground  of  assurance  to  be  convinced  that  his  love  will 
never  change.  And,  moreover,  v.  39  requires  this  interpretation ;  for 
there  Paul  expresses  the  same  sentiment  in  language  which  cannot  be 
misunderstood.  "  No  creature,"  he  says,  "  shall  be  able  to  separate  us 
from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  This  is  evidently 
God's  love  towards  us. 

Shall  tribulation,  or  distress,  or  persecution,  &c.  This  is  merely  an 
amplification  of  the  preceding  idea.  Nothing  shall  separate  us  from  the 
love  of  Christ,  neither  tribulation,  nor  distress,  nor  persecution,  &c. 
That  is,  whatever  we  may  be  called  upon  to  suffer  in  this  life,  nothing 
can  deprive  us  of  the  love  of  him  who  died  for  us,  and  who  now  lives 
to  plead  our  cause  in  heaven,  and,  therefore,  these  eifflictions,  and  all 
other  difficulties,  are  enemies  we  may  despise. 

(36)  As  it  is  written,  for  thy  sake  we  are  killed  all  the  day  long,  &L(i. 
A  quotation  from  Ps.  44  :  22,  agreeably  to  the  LXX.  translation.    The 


ROMANS  8:  29—39.  211 

previous  verse  of  course  implied  that  believers  should  be  exposed  to 
many  afflictions,  to  famine,  nakedness,  and  the  sword ;  this,  Paul  would 
Ray,  is  in  accordance  with  the  experience  of  the  pious  in  all  ages.  We 
suffer,  as  it  is  recorded  of  the  Old  Testament  saints  that  they  suffered. 

(37)  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more  than  conquerors,  &c.  This 
verse  is  connected  with  the  35th.  '  So  far  from  these  afflictions  sepa- 
rating us  from  the  love  of  Christ,  they  are  more  than  conquered.'  That 
is,  they  are  not  only  deprived  of  all  power  to  do  us  harm,  they  minister 
to  our  good.  They  swell  the  glory  of  our  victory.  Through  him  that 
loved  us.  The  triumph  which  the  apostle  looked  for  was  not  to  be 
effected  by  his  own  strength  or  perseverance,  but  by  the  grace  and  power 
of  the  Redeemer.  1  Cor.  15  :  10.  Gal.  2  :  20.  Phil.  4:  13,  "I  can  do 
all  things  through  Christ  which  strengtheneth  me." 

(38,  39)  In  these  verses  the  confidence  of  the  apostle  is  expressed  in 
the  strongest  language.  He  heaps  words  together  in  the  effort  to  set 
forth  fully  the  absolute  inability  of  all  created  things,  separately  or 
united,  to  frustrate  the  purpose  of  God,  or  to  turn  aw^ay  his  love  from 
those  whom  he  has  determined  to  save. 

For  I  am  persuaded  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  &c.  &c.  It  is  some- 
what doubtful  how  far  the  apostle  intended  to  express  distinct  ideas  by 
the  several  words  here  used.  The  enumeration  is  by  some  considered  as 
expressing  the  general  idea  that  nothing  in  the  universe  can  injure  be- 
lievers, the  detail  being  designed  merely  as  amplification.  This,  how- 
ever, is  not  very  probable.  The  former  view  is  to  be  preferred.  Neither 
death.  That  is,  though  cut  off  in  this  world,  their  connexion  with  Christ 
is  not  thereby  destroyed.  "They  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any 
pluck  them  out  of  my  hand,"  John  10  :  28.  Nor  life,  neither  its  bland- 
ishments, nor  its  trials.  "Whether  we  live,  we  live  unto  the  Lord,  oi 
whether  we  die,  we  die  unto  the  Lord.  So  that,  living  or  dying,  we  are 
the  Lord's,"  Rom.  14  :  8. 

Nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers.  Principalities  and  powers 
are  by  many  understood  here  to  refer  to  the  authorities  of  this  world  as 
distinguished  from  angels.  But  to  this  it  may  be  objected  that  Paul  fre- 
quently uses  these  terms  in  connexion  to  designate  the  different  orders 
of  spiritual  ^eings,  Eph.  1:  21.  Col.  1 :  16 ;  and,  secondly,  that  cor- 
responding terms  were  in  common  use  among  the  Jews  in  this  sense. 
It  is  probable,  from  the  nature  of  the  passage,  that  this  clause  is  to  be 
taken  generally,  without  any  specific  reference  to  either  good  or  bad  an- 
gels as  such.  '  No  superhuman  power,  no  angel,  however  mighty,  shall 
ever  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God.'  Neither  things  pre- 
sent, nor  things  to  come.  Nothing  in  this  life,  nor  in  the  future;  no 
present  or  future  event,  &c. 

(39)  Nor  hekght,  nor  depth.  These  words  have  been  very  variously 
explained.  That  interpretation  which  seems  on  the  whole  most  consist- 
ent with  scriptural  usage  and  the  context,  is  that  which  makes  the  terms 
equivalent  to  heaven  zmd  earth,    ^  Nothing  in  heaven  or  earth ;'  see  Eph. 


212  ROMANS  8:  29—39. 

4  :  9.  Isa.  7:11,  "  Ask  it  either  in  the  depth  or  the  height  above,"  &;c. 
&c.  Nor  any  other  creature.  Although  the  preceding  enumeration  had 
been  so  minute,  the  apostle,  as  if  to  prevent  despondency  having  the 
possibility  of  a  foothold,  adds  this  all-comprehending  specification,  no 
crea^ec?  ^/izn^  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God.  This 
love  of  God,  which  is  declared  to  be  thus  unchangeable,  is  extended 
towards  us  only  on  account  of  our  connexion  with  Christ,  and  therefore 
the  apostle  adds,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,'  see  Eph.  1  :  6. 
2  Tim.  1  :  9. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  God  chooses  certain  individuals  and  predestinates  them  to  eternal 
life.  The  ground  of  this  choice  is  his  own  sovereign  pleasure ;  the  end 
to  which  the  elect  are  predestinated  is  conformity  to  Jesus  Christ  in  his 
moral  character,  and  in  his  sufferings  and  glory,  v.  29. 

2.  Those  who  are  thus  chosen  shall  certainly  be  saved,  v.  30. 

3.  The  only  evidence  of  election  is  effectual  calling,  that  is,  the  pro- 
duction  of  holiness.  And  the  only  evidence  of  the  genuineness  of  this 
call  and  the  certainty  of  our  perseverance,  is  a  patient  continuance  in 
well  doing,  vs.  29,  30. 

4.  The  love  of  God,  and  not  human  merit  or  power,  is  the  proper 
ground  of  confidence.  This  love  is  infinitely  great,  as  is  manifested  by 
the  gift  of  God's  own  Son ;  and  it  is  unchangeable,  as  the  apostle  strongly 
asserts,  vs.  31 — 39. 

5.  The  gift  of  Christ  is  not  the  result  of  the  mere  general  love  of  God 
to  the  human  family,  but  also  of  special  love  to  his  own  people,  v.  32. 

6.  Hope  of  pardon  and  eternal  life  should  rest  on  the  death,  the  resur- 
rection, universal  dominion,  and  intercession  of  the  Son  of  God,  v.  34. 

7.  Trials  and  afflictions  of  every  kind  have  been  the  portion  of  the 
people  of  God  in  all  ages ;  as  they  cannot  destroy  the  love  of  Christ 
towards  us,  they  ought  not  to  shake  our  love  towards  him,  v.  35. 

8.  The  whole  universe,  with  all  that  it  contains,  as  far  as  it  is  good, 
is  the  friend  and  ally  of  the  Christian  ;  as  far  as  it  is  evil,  it  is  a  more 
than  conquered  foe,  vs.  35 — 39. 

9.  The  love  of  God,  infinite  and  unchangeable  as  it  is,  is  manifested  to 
sinners  only  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  v.  39. 


1.  The  plan  of  redemption,  while  it  leaves  no  room  for  despondency, 
aflfords  no  pretence  for  presumption.  Those  whom  God  loves  he  loves 
unchangeably ;  but  it  is  not  on  the  ground  of  their  peculiar  excellence, 
nor  can  this  love  be  extended  towards  those  who  live  in  sin,  vs.  29 — 39. 

2.  As  there  is  a  beautiful  harmony  and  necessary  connexion  between 
the  several  doctrines  of  grace,  between  election,  predestination,  calling, 
justification,  and  glorification,  so  must  there  be  a  like  harmony  in  the 
character  of  the  Christian.     He  cannot  experience  the  joy  and  confidence 


ROMANS  8:  29—39.  213 

flowing  from  his  election,  without  the  humility  which  the  consideration 
of  its  being  gratuitous  must  produce  ;  nor  can  he  have  the  peace  of  one 
who  is  justified,  without  the  holiness  of  one  who  is  called,  vs.  29,  30. 

3.  As  Christ  is  the  first-bom  or  head  among  many  brethren,  all  true 
Christians  must  love  him  supremely,  and  each  other  as  members  of  the 
same  family.  Unless  we  have  this  love,  we  do  not  belong  to  this  sacred 
brotherhood,  v.  29. 

4.  If  the  love  of  God  is  so  great  and  constant,  it  is  a  great  sin  to  dis- 
trust or  doubt  it,  vs.  30 — 39. 

5.  Christians  may  well  bear  with  patience  and  equanimity  the  unjust 
accusations,  or  even  the  condemnatory  sentences  of  the  wicked,  since 
God  justifies  and  accepts  them.  It  is  a  small  matter  to  be  judged  of 
man's  judgment,  vs.  33,  34. 

6.  IJf  God  spared  not  his  own  Son,  in  order  to  eflfect  our  salvation, 
what  sacrifice  on  our  part  can  be  considered  great,  as  a  return  for  such 
love,  or  as  a  means  of  securing  the  salvation  of  others,  v.  32. 

7.  The  true  method  to  drive  away  despondency  is  believing  apprehen- 
sions of  the  scriptural  grounds  of  hope,  viz.  the  love  of  God,  the  death 
of  Christ,  his  resurrection,  his  universal  dominion,  and  his  intercession, 
verse  34. 

8.  Though  the  whole  universe  were  encamped  against  the  solitary 
Christian,  he  would  still  come  off  more  than  conqueror,  vs.  35 — 39. 

9.  Afflictions  and  trials  are  not  to  be  fled  from  or  avoided,  but  over- 
come, V.  37. 

10.  All  strength  to  endure  and  to  conquer  comes  to  us  through  him 
that  loved  us.     Without  him  we  can  do  nothing,  v.  37. 

11.  How  wonderful,  how  glorious,  how  secure  is  the  gospel  !  Those 
who  are  in  Christ  Jesus  are  as  secure  as  the  love  of  God,  the  merit, 
power,  and  intercession  of  Christ  can  make  them.  They  are  hedged 
round  with,  mercy.  They  are  enclosed  in  the  arms  of  everlasting  love. 
*'  Now  unto  him  that  is  able  to  keep  us  from  falling,  and  to  present  us 
faultless  before  the  presence  of  his  glory  with  exceeding  joy ;  to  the  only 
wise  God,  our  Saviour,  be  glory  and  majesty,  dominion  and  power,  both 
how  and  for  ever.     Amen !" 


CHAPTER  IX. 

With  the  eighth  chapter  the  discussion  of  the  plan  of  salvation,  and 
of  its  immediate  consequences,  was  brought  to  a  close.  The  considera- 
tion of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  and  the  rejection  of  the  Jews,  com- 
mences with  the  ninth,  and  extends  to  the  end  of  the  eleventh.  Paul,  in 
the  first  place,  show^s  that  God  may  consistently  reject  the  Jews,  and 


214  ROMANS  9  :  1—5. 

extend  the  blessings  of  the  Messiah's  reign  to  the  Gentiles,  9  :  1 — 24 ; 
and,  in  the  second,  that  he  has  already  declared  that  such  was  his  put- 
pose,  vs.  25 — 29.  Agreeably  to  these  prophetic  declarations,  the  apos- 
tle announces  that  the  Jews  were  cast  off  and  the  Gentiles  called  ;  the 
former  having  refused  submission  to  the  righteousness  of  faith,  and  the 
latter  having  been  obedient,  vs.  30 — 33.  In  the  tenth  chapter  Paul 
shows  the  necessity  of  this  rejection  of  the  ancient  people  of  God,  and 
vindicates  the  propriety  of  extending  the  invitation  of  the  gospel  to  the 
heathen  in  accordance  with  the  predictions  of  the  prophets.  In  the 
eleventh  he  teaches  that  this  rejection  of  the  Jews  was  neither  total  nor 
final.  It  was  not  total,  inasmuch  as  many  Jew^s  of  that  generation  be- 
lieved ;  and  it  was  not  final,  as  the  period  approached  when  the  great 
body  of  that  nation  should  acknowledge  Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  and  be 
reingrafted  into  their  own  olive  tree. 

CONTENTS. 

In  entering  on  the  discussion  of  the  question  of  the  rejection  of  the 
.Tews,  and  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  the  apostle  assures  his  brethren 
that  he  was  led  to  entertain  this  opinion  from  no  want  of  affection  or 
respect  for  them  or  their  national  privileges,  vs.  1 — 5.  That  his  doc- 
trine on  this  subject  was  true,  he  argues,  1.  Because  it  was  not  incon- 
sistent with  the  promises  of  God,  who  is  perfectly  sovereign  in  the  dis- 
tribution of  his  favours,  vs.  6 — 24.  And,  secondly,  because  it  was  dis- 
tinctly predicted  in  their  own  Scriptures,  vs.  25 — 29.  The  conclusion 
from  this  reasoning  is  stated  in  vs.  30 — 33.  The  Jews  are  rejected  fox 
their  unbelief,  and  the  Gentiles  admitted  to  the  Messiah's  kingdom. 

CHAP.  9:  1—5. 

*I  say  the  truth  in  Christ,  I  lie  not,  my  conscience  also  bearing  me 
witness  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  ''that  I  have  great  heaviness  and  continual 
sorrow  in  my  heart.  ^For  I  could  wish  that  myself  were  accursed  from 
Christ  for  my  brethren,  my  kinsmen  according  to  the  flesh:  ^who  are 
Israelites  ;  to  w\^om. pertaineth  the  adoption,  and  the  glory,  and  the  cove- 
nants, and  the  giving  of  the  law,  and  the  service  of  God,  and  the  promises ; 
^whose  are  the  fathers,  and  of  whom  as  concerning  the  flesh  Christ  came, 
who  is  over  all,  God  blessed  for  ever.     Amen. 


As  the  subject  about  to  be  discussed  was  of  all  others  the  most  painful 
and  offensive  to  his  Jewish  brethren,  the  apostle  approaches  it  with  the 
greatest  caution.  He  solemnly  assures  them  that  he  was  grieved  at  heart 
on  their  account;  and  that  his  love  for  them  was  ardent  and  disinterested, 
vs.  1 — 3.  Theirpeculiar  privileges  he  acknowledged  and  respected.  They 
were  highly  distinguished  by  all  the  advantages  connected  with  the  Old 


ROMANS  9:  1—5.  215 

Testament  dispensation,  and,  above  all,  by  the  fact  that  the  Messiah  was, 
according  to  the  flesh,  a  Jew,  vs.  4,  5. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1)  /  say  the  truth  in  Christ,  I  lie  not,  &c.  There  are  three  ways 
in  which  the  words  in  Christ,  or  hy  Christ,  may  here  be  understood. 
1.  They  may  be  considered  as  part  of  the  formula  of  an  oath,  /  say  the 
truth,  by  Christ.  The  preposition  rendered  in  is  so  used  in  Matt.  5  :  34, 
&c.  Rev.  10:  6.  But  in  these  and  similar  cases  it  is  always  in  con- 
nexion with  a  verb  of  swearing.  In  addition  to  this  objection,  it  may  be 
urged  that  no  instance  occurs  of  Paul's  appealing  to  Christ  in  the  form 
of  an  oath.  •■  This  interpretation,  therefore,  is  not  to  be  approved.  2.  The 
words  in  Christ  may  be  connected  with  the  pronoun  /.  ^  lin  Christ,''  i.  e. 
as  a  Christian,  or,  'In  the  consciousness  of  my  union  with  Christ,  I 
declare,'  &c.  1  Cor.  1  :  30.  3  :  1.  Rom.  16 :  3.  7.  3.  The  words  may 
be  used  adverbially,  and  be  translated  after  a  Christian  manner.  This 
also  is  a  frequent  use  of  this  and  analogous  phrases.  See  1  Cor.  7  :  39, 
*'  Only  in  the  Lord,"  i.  e.  only  after  a  religious  manner.  Rom.  16  :  22. 
Eph.  6:  1.  Col.  3;  18.  The  sense  of  the  passage  is  much  the  same 
whether  we  adopt  the  one  or  the  other  of  the  last  two  modes  of  explana- 
tion. Paul  means  to  say  that  he  speaks  in  a  solemn  and  religious  man- 
ner, as  a  Christian,  conscious  of  his  intimate  relation  to  Christ. 

I  say  the  truth,  I  lie  not.  This  mode  of  assertion,  first  affirmatively 
and  then  negatively,  is  common  in  the  Scriptures.  "  Thou  shalt  die,  and 
not  live,"  Isa.  38  :  1 ;  "  He  confessed  and  denied  not,"  John  1  :  20.  My 
conscience  also  bearing  me  witness  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  There  are  also 
three  ways  in  which  the  words  in  the  Holy  Ghost  may  be  connected  and 
explained.  1.  They  are  often  considered  as  belonging  to  the  first  clause 
and  standing  in  a  parallelism  with  the  words  in  Christ,  and  being  also  an 
oath.  But  in  this  way  the  construction  is  unnatural,  and  the  sense  not 
only  unusual  but  revolting.  2.  They  may  be  connected  with  the  words 
bearing  me  witness.  The  sense  would  then  be,  '  My  conscience  beareth 
me  witness  together  with  the  Holy  Ghost.'  That  is,  not  only  my  own 
conscience,  but  the  Holy  Spirit  assures  me  of  my  sincerity.  3.  They 
may  be  connected  with  the  word  conscience.  '  My  conscience  under  the 
influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost;'  my  sanctified  conscience.  There  seems 
little  ground  of  preference  between  the  last  two;  either  gives  a  good 
sense. 

(2)  That  I  have  great  heaviness,  &cc.  This  it  is  which  Paul  so  solemnly 
asserts.  He  was  not  an  indifferent  spectator  of  the  sorrow,  temporal  and 
spiritual,  which  was  about  to  come  on  his  countrymen.  All  their  peculiar 
national  advantages,  and  the  blessings  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom  which 
they  had  wickedly  rejected,  were  to  be  taken  away  ;  they  were,  therefore, 
left  without  hope  either  for  this  world  or  the  next.  The  consideration  of 
their  condition  filled  the  apostle  with  great  and  constant  heaviness.    The 


216  ROMANS  9:  1—5. 

sincerity  and  strength  of  this  sorrow  for  them  he  asserts  in  the  strongest 
terms  in  the  next  verse. 

(3)  For  I  could  wish  that  myself  were  accursed  from  Christ  for  my 
brethren,  &c.  The  word  anathema,  which  is  used  in  this  verse  by  the 
apostle,  properly  means  something  set  up  or  consecrated,  and  is  applied 
frequently  to  votive  offerings.  A  secondary  application  of  the  word  was 
to  those  persons  who  were  devoted  to  destruction  as  sacrifices  for  the 
public  good.  And  as,  among  the  Greeks,  the  lowest  and  vilest  of  the  peo- 
ple were  selected  for  that  purpose,  it  became  a  term  of  execration,  and 
expressed  the  idea  of  exposure  to  divine  wrath.  In  the  Old  Testament, 
the  Hebrew  word  to  which  it  answers,  occurs  very  frequently,  and  pro- 
bably the  root  originally  meant  to  cut  off,  to  separate.  Hence,  the  sub- 
stantive derived  from  it,  meant  something  separated  or  consecrated.  In 
usage,  however,  it  was  applied  only  to  such  things  as  could  not  be 
redeemed,  and  which,  when  possessed  of  life,  were  to  be  put  to  death.  It 
is  evident  from  such  passages  as  Lev.  27  :  28,  29.  Deut.  7  :  26.  Josh.  6  : 
17.  1  Sam.  15  :  21,  that  the  word  usually  designates  a  person  or  thing  set 
apart  to  destruction  on  religious  grounds ;  something  accursed. 

In  the  New  Testament  the  use  of  the  Greek  word  is  very  nearly  the 
same.  The  only  passages  in  which  it  occurs  besides  the  one  before  us, 
are  the  following ;  Acts  23  :  14,  "  We  have  bound  ourselves  under  a  great 
curse  (we  have  placed  ourselves  under  an  anathema),  that  we  will  eat 
nothing  until  we  have  slain  Paul."  The  meaning  of  this  passage  evi- 
dently is, '  We  have  imprecated  on  ourselves  the  curse  of  God,  or  we 
have  called  upon  him  to  consider  us  as  anathema.'  1  Cor.  12  :  3,  "  No 
man  speaking  by  the  Spirit  of  God  calleth  Jesus  accursed  (anathema)  ;" 
1  Cor.  16  :  22,  "  Let  him  be  anathema  maranatha ;"  Gal.  1 :  8,  9,  "  Let 
him  be  accursed  (anathema)."  In  all  these  cases  it  is  clear  that  the  word 
is  applied  to  those  who  were  regarded  as  deservedly  exposed,  or  devoted 
to  the  curse  of  God.  In  this  sense  it  was  used  by  the  early  Christian 
writers,  and  from  them  passed  into  the  use  of  the  church.  "  Let  him  be 
anathema,"  being  the  constant  formula  of  pronouncing  any  one,  in  the 
judgment  of  the  church,  exposed  to  the  divine  malediction. 

Among  the  later  Jews,  this  word,  or  the  corresponding  Hebrew  term, 
was  used  in  reference  to  the  second  of  the  three  degrees  into  which  they 
divided  excommunication  (see  Buxtorf 's  Rabbinical  Lexicon).  But  no 
analogous  use  of  the  word  occurs  in  the  Bible.  Such  being  the  meaning 
of  this  word  in  the  Scriptures,  its  application  in  this  case  by  the  apostle 
admits  of  various  explanations. 

The  common  interpretation,  however,  and  that  which  seems  most  natu- 
ral, is,  '  I  am  grieved  at  heart  for  my  brethren,  for  I  could  wish  myself 
accursed  from  Christ,  that  is,  I  could  be  willing  to  be  regarded  and 
treated  as  anathema,  a  thing  accursed,  for  their  sakes.'  That  this  inter- 
pretation suits  the  force  and  mf>aning  of  the  words,  and  is  agreeable  to 
the  context,  must,  on  all  hands,  be  admitted.     The  only  objection  to  it  is 


ROMANS  9:  1—5.  217 

of  a  theological  kind.  It  is  said  to  be  inconsistent  with  the  apostle's 
character  to  wish  that  he  should  be  accursed  from  Christ.  But  to  this 
it  may  be  answered,  1.  Paul  does  not  say  that  he  did  deliberately  and 
actually  entertain  such  a  wish.  The  expression  is  evidently  hypothetical 
and  conditional,  '  I  could  wish,  were  the  thing  allowable,  possible  or 
proper.'  So  far  from  saying  he  actually  desired  to  be  thus  separated 
from  Christ,  he  impliedly  says  the  very  reverse.  '  I  could  wish  it,  were 
it  not  wrong;  or,  did  it  not  involve  my  being  unholy  as  well  as  misera- 
ble, but  as  such  is  the  case,  the  desire  cannot  be  entertained.'  This  is 
the  proper  force  of  the  imperfect  indicative  when  thus  used  ;  it  implies 
the  presence  of  a  condition  which  is  known  to  be  impossible.  2.  Even 
if  the  words  expressed  more  than  they  actually  do,  and  the  apostle  were 
to  be  understood  as  saying  that  he  could  wish  to  be  cut  off  from  Christ, 
yet,  from  the  nature  of  the  passage,  it  could  fairly  be  understood,  as 
meaning  nothing  more  than  that  he  was  willing  to  suffer  the  utmost 
misery  for  the  sake  of  his  brethren.  The  difficulty  arises  from  pressing 
the  words  too  far,  making  them  express  definite  ideas,  instead  of  strong 
and  indistinct  emotions.  The  general  idea  is,  that  he  considered  himself 
as  nothing,  and  his  happiness  as  a  matter  of  no  moment,  in  view  of  the 
salvation  of  his  brethren. 

(4)  The  object  of  the  apostle  in  the  introduction  to  this  chapter,  con- 
tained in  the  first  five  verses,  is  to  assure  the  Jews  of  his  love  and  of  his 
respect  for  their  peculiar  privileges.  The  declaration  of  his  love  he  had 
just  made,  his  respect  for  their  advantages  is  expressed  in  the  enumera- 
tion of  them  contained  in  this  verse.  Who  are  Israelites^  i.  e.  the  peculiar 
people  of  God.  This  includes  all  the  privileges  which  are  afterwards 
mentioned.  The  word  Israel  means  one  who  contends  with  God,  or  a 
prince  with  God.  Hos.  12  :  3,  "  He  took  his  brother  by  the  heel  in  the 
womb,  and  by  his  strength  he  had  power  with  God."  As  it  was  given 
to  Jacob  as  an  expression  of  God's  peculiar  favour,  Gen.  32  :  28,  its  appli- 
cation to  his  descendants,  implied  that  they,  too,  were  the  favourites  of 
God.  To  whom  pertaineth  the  adoption.  As  Paul  is  speaking  here  of 
the  external  or  natural  Israel,  the  adoption  or  sonship  which  pertained  to 
them,  as  such,  must  be  external  also,  and  is  very  different  from  that 
which  he  had  spoken  of  in  the  preceding  chapter.  They  were  the  sons 
of  God,  i.  e.  the  objects  of  his  peculiar  favour,  selected  from  the  nations 
of  the  earth  to  be  the  recipients  of  peculiar  blessings  and  to  stand  in  a  pe- 
culiar relation  to  God.  Ex.  4 :  22,  "  Thou  shalt  say  unto  Pharoah, 
Israel  is  my  son,  even  my  first-born  ;"  Deut.  14  :  1,  "  Ye  are  the  children 
of  the  Lord  your  God ;"  Jer.  31 :  9,  "  I  am  a  father  to  Israel,  and  Ephraim 
is  my  first-born." 

And  the  glory.  These  words  are  variously  explained.  They  may  be 
connected  with  the  preceding,  as  explanatory  of  the  adoption  or  as  quali- 
fying it,  and  the  two  words  be  equivalent  to  glorious  adoption.  But 
as  every  other  specification  in  this  verse  is  to  be  taken  separately,  so 

T 


218  ROMANS  9:  1—5. 

should  this  be.  In  the  Old  Testament  that  symbolical  manifestation  of 
the  divine  presence  which  filled  the  tabernacle  and  rested  over  the  ark,  is 
called  the  glory  of  the  Lord.  Ex.  40  :  34,  "  A  cloud  covered  the  tent  of 
the  cong-regation ;  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  filled  the  tabernacle;"  Ex. 
9) :  43.  Lev.  16  :  2.  1  Kings  8  :  11.  2  Chron.  5:14.  Hag.  2  :  7.  By  the 
Jews  this  symbol  was  called  the  Shekinah,  i.  e.  the  presence  of  God.  Be- 
sides this,  the  manifestation  of  God's  presence  in  general  is  called  his 
glory;  Isa.  6:4,"  The  whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory,"  &c.  It  is  pro- 
bable, therefore,  that  Paul  intended  by  this  word  to  refer  to  the  fact  that 
God  dwelt  in  a  peculiar  manner  among  the  Jews,  'and  in  various  ways 
manifested  his  presence,  as  one  of  their  peculiar  privileges. 

The  covenants.  The  plural  is  used  because  God  at  various  times 
entered  into  covenant  with  the  Jews  and  their  forefathers ;  by  which  he 
secured  to  them  innumerable  blessings  and  privileges;  see  Gal.  3  :  16, 
17.  Eph.  2  :  12.  The  giving  of  the  law,  the  legislation.  The  word  is 
sometimes  used  for  the  law  itself,  it  may  here  be  taken  strictly,  that  giv- 
ing of  the  law,  i.  e.  the  solemn  and  glorious  annunciation  of  the  divine 
will  from  Mount  Sinai.  The  former  is  the  most  probable ;  because  the 
possession  of  the  law  was  the  grand  distinction  of  the  Jews,  and  one  on 
which  they  peculiarly  relied ;  see  ch.  2  :  17.  The  service  means  the 
whole  ritual,  the  pompous  and  impressive  religious  service  of  the  taber- 
nacle and  temple.  The  promises  relate,  no  doubt,  specially  to  the  pro- 
mises of  Christ  and  his  kingdom.  This  was  the  great  inheritance  of  the 
nation.  This  was  the  constant  subject  of  gratulation  and  object  of  hope. 
See  Gal.  3 :  16,  "Now  to  Abraham  and  his  seed  were  the  promises 
made ;"  v.  21,  "  Is  the  law  against  the  promises  of  God  1"  So  in  other 
places  the  word  promises  is  used  specially  for  the  predictions  in  reference 
to  the  great  redemption,  Acts  26  :  6. 

(5)  Whose  are  the  fathers,  and  ofivhom,  as  concerning  the  flesh,  Christ 
came,  &c.  The  descent  of  the  Jews  from  men  so  highly  favoured  of  God 
as  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  was  justly  regarded  as  a  great  distinction. 
And  of  whom.  The  and  here  shows  that  whom  refers,  not  to  the  fathers, 
but  to  the  Israelites,  to  whom  pertained  the  adoption,  the  law,  the  service, 
and  of  whom  Christ  came.  This  was  the  great  honour  of  the  Jewish 
race.  For  this  they  were  separated  as  a  peculiar  people,  and  preserved 
amidst  all  their  afflictions.  As  it  was  true,  however,  only  in  one  sense, 
that  Christ  was  descended  from  the  Israelites,  and  as  there  was  another 
view  of  his  person,  according  to  which  he  was  infinitely  exalted  above 
them  and  all  other  men,  the  apostle  qualifies  his  declaration  by  saying  as 
concerning  the  flesh.  The  word  flesh  is  used  so  often  for  human  nature 
in  its  present  state,  or  for  men,  that  the  phrase  as  totheflesh,in  such  con- 
nexions, evidently  means  in  as  far  as  he  was  a  man,  or  as  to  his  human 
nature,  ch.  1:3.  In  like  manner,  when  it  is  said  Christ  was  manifested 
or  came  in  the  flesh,  it  means,  he  came  in  our  nature,  1  Tim.  3:  16. 
IJohn  4:  2,  &c. 

TVho  is  over  all,  God  blessed  for  ever.     Amen.     There  is  but  one  in* 


ROMANS  9:  1—5.  219 

terpretation  of  this  important  passage  which  can,  with  the  least  regard 
lo  the  rules  of  construction,  be  maintained.  Paul  evidently  declares  that 
Christ,  who  he  had  just  said  was,  as  to  his  human  nature,  descended 
from  the  Israelites,  is,  in  another  respect,  the  supreme  God,  or  God  over 
all,  and  blessed  for  ever.  That  this  is  the  meaning  of  the  passage  is 
evident  from  the  following  reasons.  1.  The  relative  who  must  agree 
with  the  nearest  antecedent.  There  is  no  other  subject  in  the  context 
sufficiently  prominent  to  make  a  departure  from  this  ordinary  rule,  in 
this  case,  even  plausible.  "  Of  whom  Christ  came,  who  is,"  &c.  Who 
is]  Certainly  Christ.  2.  The  context  requires  this  interpretation,  be- 
cause, as  Paul  was  speaking  of  Christ,  it  would  be  very  unnatural  thus 
suddenly  to  change  the  subject  and  break  out  into  a  doxology  to  God. 
Frequently  as  the  pious  feelings  of  the  apostle  led  him  to  use  such  ex- 
clamations of  praise,  he  never  does  it  except  when  God  is  the  immediate 
subject  of  discourse.  See  ch.  1 :  25,  "  Who  worship  and  serve  the  crea- 
ture more  than  the  Creator,  who  is  blessed  for  evermore ;"  Gal.  1  :  5. 
2  Cor.  11 :  31.  Besides,  it  was  the  very  object  of  the  apostle  to  set 
forth  the  great  honour  to  the  Jews  of  having  Christ  born  among  them, 
and  this,  of  course,  would  lead  to  his  presenting  the  dignity  of  the  Re- 
deemer in  the  strongest  light.  For  the  greater  he  was,  the  greater  the 
honour  to  those  of  whose  race  he  came.  3.  The  antithesis,  which  is 
evidently  implied  between  the  two  clauses  of  the  verse,  is  in  favour  of 
this  interpretation.  Christ,  according  to  the  flesh,  was  an  Israelite,  but, 
according  to  his  higher  nature,  the  supreme  God.  See  the  strikingly 
analogous  passage  in  ch.  1 :  3,  4,  where  Christ  is  said,  according  to  one 
nature,  to  be  the  Son  of  David,  according  to  the  other,  the  Son  of  God. 
4.  No  other  interpretation  is  at  all  consistent  with  the  grammatical  con- 
struction, or  the  relative  position  of  the  words.  To  suppose  that  this 
passage  is  a  doxology,  referring  not  to  Christ,  but  to  God,  is  in  the 
highest  degree  unnatural,  because  God  is  not  mentioned  in  the  context, 
and  because  the  constant  form  of  doxology  in  the  Scriptures  is  "  Blessed 
be  God  ;"  and  never  "  God  be  blessed."  The  word  for  blessed  always 
stands  first,  and  the  word  for  God  after  it  with  the  article.  As  the  word 
God,  in  the  original,  is  without  the  article  in  this  case,  it  must  be  the  pre- 
dicate and  not  the  subject  of  the  sentence ;  that  is,  the  meaning  must  be, 
who  is  God,  and  not  God  is.  In  the  strongest  and  clearest  language, 
therefore,  Paul  declares  that  Christ  is  the  supreme  God. 

Over  all  is  equivalent  to  most  high,  supreme.  The  same  words  oc- 
cur in  Eph.  4:6,  "  One  God,  who  is  above  all."  This  passage,  there- 
fore, shows  that  Christ  is  God  in  the  highest  sense  of  the  word.  Jmen 
is  a  Hebrew  word  signifying  true.  It  is  used  in  the  New  Testament 
often  adverbially,  and  is  rendered  verily;  or,  at  the  close  of  a  sentence, 
as  expressing  desire,  let  it  be,  or  merely  approbation.  It  does  not,  there- 
fore, necessarily  imply  that  the  clause  to  which  it  is  attached  contains  a 
wish.     It  is  used  here,  as  in  Rom.  1  :  25,  for  giving  a  solemn  assent  to 


220  ROMANS  9  :  1—5. 

what  has  been  said.     "  God  who  is  blessed  for  ever.  Amen."    »To  this 
declaration  we  say,  Amen.     It  is  true.' 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  ever  present  with  the  souls  of  the  people  of 
God.  He  enlicrhtens  the  judgment  and  guides  the  conscience,  so  that 
the  true  and  humble  Christian  often  has  an  assurance  of  his  sincerity  and 
of  the  correctness  of  what  he  says  or  does,  above  what  the  powers  of 
nature  can  bestow,  v.  1. 

2.  There  is  no  limit  to  the  sacrifice  which  one  man  may  make  for  the 
benefit  of  others,  except  that  which  his  duty  to  God  imposes,  v.  3. 

3.  Paul  does  not  teach  that  we  should  be  willing  to  be  damned  for  the 
glory  of  God.  1.  His  very  language  implies  that  such  a  wish  would  be 
improper.  For  in  the  ardour  of  his  disinterested  affection  he  does  not 
himself  entertain  or  express  the  wish,  but  merely  says,  in  effect,  that 
were  it  proper  or  possible,  he  would  be  willing  to  perish  for  the  sake  of 
his  brethren.  2.  If  it  is  wrong  to  do  evil  that  good  may  come,  how  can 
it  be  right  to  wish  to  he  evil  that  good  may  comel  3.  There  seems  to 
be  a  contradiction  involved  in  the  very  terms  of  the  wish.  Can  one  love 
God  so  much  as  to  wish  to  hate  him  ?  Can  he  be  so  good  as  to  desire 
to  be  bad  ]  'We  must  be  willing  to  give  up  houses  and  lands,  parents 
and  brethren,  and  our  life  also,  for  Christ  and  his  kingdom;  but  we  are 
never  required  to  give  up  holiness  for  his  sake,  for  this  would  be  a  con- 
tradiction. 

4.  It  is,  in  itself,  a  great  blessing  to  belong  to  the  external  people  of 
God,  and  to  enjoy  all  the  privileges  consequent  on  this  relation,  v.  4. 

5.  Jesus  Christ  is  at  once  man  and  God  over  all,  blessed  for  ever. 
Paul  asserts  this  doctrine  in  language  too  plain  to  be  misunderstood,  v.  5. 


1.  Whatever  we  say  or  do,  should  be  said  or  done  as  in  Christ,  i.  e. 
in  a  Christian  manner,  v.  1. 

2.  If  we  can  view,  unmoved,  the  perishing  condition  of  our  fellow 
men,  or  are  unwilling  to  make  sacrifices  for  their  benefit,  we  are  very 
different  from  Paul,  and  from  Him  who  wept  over  Jerusalem,  and  died 
for  our  good  upon  Mount  Calvary,  vs.  2,  3. 

3.  Though  we  may  belong  to  the  true  church,  and  enjoy  all  its  privi- 
leges, we  may  still  be  cast  away.  Our  external  relation  to  the  people  of 
God  cannot  secure  our  salvation,  v.  4. 

4.  A  pious  parentage  is  a  great  distinction  and  blessing,  and  should  be 
felt  and  acknowledged  as  such,  v.  5. 

5.  If  Jesus  Christ  has  come  in  the  flesh,  if  he  has  a  nature  like  our 
own,  how  intimate  the  union  between  him  and  his  people;  how  tender 
the  relation  ;  how  unspeakable  the  honour  done  to  human  nature  in 
having  it  thus  exalted  !     If  Jesus  Christ  is  God  over  all  and  blessed  for 


ROMANS  9:  6—24.  221 

ever,  how  profound  should  be  our  reverence,  how  unreserved  our  obe- 
dience, and  how  entire  and  joyful  our  confidence  !  v.  5. 

6.  These  five  verses,  the  introduction  to  the  three  following  chapters, 
teach  us  a  lesson  which  we  have  before  had  occasion  to  notice.  Fidelity 
does  not  require  that  we  should  make  the  truth  as  offensive  as  possible. 
On  the  contrary,  we  are  bound  to  endeavour,  as  Paul  did,  to  allay  all 
opposing  or  inimical  feelings  in  the  minds  of  those  whom  we  address, 
and  to  allow  the  truth,  unimpeded  by  the  exhibition  of  any  thing  offen- 
sive on  our  part,  to  do  its  work  upon  the  heart  and  conscience. 

CHAP.  9 :  6—24. 

^Not  as  though  the  word  of  God  hath  taken  none  effect.  For  they  are 
not  all  Israel  which  are  of  Israel :  ^neither,  because  they  are  the  seed 
of  Abraham,  are  they  all  children  :  but,  In  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  called. 
^That  is,  They  which  are  the  children  of  the  flesh,  these  are  not  the 
children  of  God  :  but  the  children  of  the  promise  are  counted  for  the 
seed.  ^For  this  is  the  word  of  promise.  At  this  time  will  I  come,  and 
Sarah  shall  have  a  son.  *^And  not  only  this  ;  but  when  Rebecca  also 
had  conceived  by  one,  even  by  our  father  Isaac  ;  ^*(for  the  children  being 
not  yet  born,  neither  having  done  any  good  or  evil,  that  the  purpose  of 
God  according  to  election  might  stand,  not  of  works,  but  of  him  that 
calleth;)  ^^it  was  said  unto  her.  The  elder  shall  serve  the  younger. 
*3As  it  is  written,  Jacob  have  I  loved,  but  Esau  have  I  hated.  ^*What 
shall  we  say  then  ?  Is  there  unrighteousness  with  God?  God  forbid. 
^^For  he  saith  to  Moses,  I  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will  have  mercy, 
and  I  will  have  compassion  on  whom  I  will  have  compassion.  *^So 
then  it  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God 
that  showeth  mercy.  ^^Por  the  scripture  saith  unto  Pharaoh,  Even  for 
this  same  purpose  have  I  raised  thee  up,  that  I  might  show  my  power  in 
thee,  and  that  my  name  might  be  declared  throughout  all  the  earth. 
***Therefore  hath  he  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy ^  and  whom  he 
will  he  hardeneth.  ^^Thou  wilt  say  then  unto  me.  Why  doth  he  yet 
find  fault  1  For  who  hath  resisted  his  willT  ^^Nay  but,  O  man,  who 
art  thou  that  repliest  against  God  ?  Shall  the  thing  formed  say  to  him 
that  formed  it^  Why  hast  thou  made  me  thus  1  ^^Hath  not  the  potter 
power  over  the  clay,  of  the  same  lump  to  make  one  vessel  unto  honour, 
and  another  unto  dishonour?  ^^What  if  God,  willing  to  show  his  wrath, 
and  to  make  his  power  known,  endured  with  much  long-suffering  the  ves- 
sels of  wrath  fitted  to  destruction  :  ^Sand  that  he  might  make  known  the 
riches  of  his  glory  on  the  vessels  of  mercy,  which  he  had  afore  prepared 
unto  glory,  2*even  us,  whom  he  hath  called,  not  of  the  Jews  only,  but 
also  of  the  Gentiles  % 

ANALYSIS. 

The  apostle  now  approaches  the  subject  which  he  had  in  view,  the 
rejection  of  the  Jews  and  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles.     That  God  had 


222  ROMANS  9:  6—24. 

determined  to  cast  off  his  ancient  covenant  people,  as  such,  and  to  extend 
the  call  of  the  gospel  indiscriminately  to  all  men,  is  the  point  which  the 
apostle  is  about  to  establish.  He  does  this  by  showing,  in  the  first  place, 
that  God  is  perfectly  free  thus  to  act,  vs.  6 — 24,  and,  in  the  second,  that 
he  had  declared  in  the  prophets  that  such  was  his  intention,  vs.  25 — 33. 

That  God  was  at  liberty  to  reject  the  Jews  and  to  call  the  Gentiles, 
Paul  argues,  1.  By  showing  that  the  promises  which  he  had  made,  and 
by  which  he  had  graciously  bound  himself,  were  not  made  to  the  natural 
descendants  of  Abraham,  as  such,  but  to  his  spiritual  seed.  This  is 
plain  from  the  case  of  Ishmael  and  Isaac;  both  were  the  children  of 
Abraham,  yet  one  was  taken  and  the  other  left.  And  also  from  the  case 
of  Esau  and  Jacob.  Though  children  of  the  same  parents,  and  born  at 
one  birth,  yet  "Jacob  have  I  loved  and  Esau  have  I  hated,"  is  the  lan- 
guage of  God  respecting  them,  vs.  6 — 13.  2.  By  showing  that  God  is 
perfectly  sovereign  in  the  distribution  of  his  favours;  that  he  is  deter- 
mined neither  by  the  external  relations,  nor  by  the  personal  character  of 
men,  in  the  selection  of  the  objects  of  his  mercy.  This  is  proved  by 
the  examples  just  referred  to  ;  by  the  choice  of  Isaac  instead  of  Ishmael, 
and  especially  by  that  of  Jacob  instead  of  Esau.  In  this  case  the  choice 
was  made  and  announced  before  the  birth  of  the  children,  that  it  might 
be  seen  that  it  was  not  according  to  works,  but  according  to  the  sove- 
reign purpose  of  God,  vs.  6 — 13. 

Against  this  doctrine  of  the  divine  sovereignty  there  are  two  obvious 
objections,  which  have  been  urged  in  every  age  of  the  world,  and  which 
the  apostle  here  explicitly  states  and  answers.  The  first  is,  it  is  unjust 
in  God  thus  to  choose  one,  and  reject  another,  at  his  mere  good  pleasure, 
v.  14.  To  this  Paul  gives  two  answers  ;  1.  God  claims  the  prerogative 
of  sovereign  mercy  ;  saying,  "  I  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will  have 
mercy,"  vs.  15 — 16.  2.  He  exercises  this  right,  as  is  evident  from  the 
case  of  Pharaoh,  with  regard  to  w  hom  he  says,  "  For  this  same  purpose 
have  I  raised  thee  up,"  vs.  17,  18.  The  second  objection  is,  if  this 
doctrine  is  true,  it  destroys  the  responsibility  of  men,  v.  19.  To  this 
also  Paul  gives  a  twofold  answer;  1.  The  very  urging  of  an  objection 
atrainst  a  prerogative  which  God  claims  in  his  word,  and  exercises  in  his 
providence,  is  an  irreverent  contending  with  our  Maker,  especially  as  the 
right  in  question  necessarily  arises  out  of  the  relation  between  men  and 
God  as  creatures  and  Creator,  vs.  20,  21.  2.  There  is  nothing  in  the 
exercise  of  this  sovereignty  inconsistent  with  either  justice  or  mercy. 
God  only  punishes  the  wicked  for  their  sins,  while  he  extends  unde- 
served mercy  to  the  objects  of  his  grace.  There  is  no  injustice  done  to 
one  wicked  man  in  the  pardon  of  another,  especially  as  there  are  the 
highest  objects  to  be  accomplished  both  in  the  punishment  of  the  vessels 
of  wrath,  and  the  pardon  of  the  vessels  of  mercy.  God  does  nothing 
more  than  exercise  a  right  inherent  in  sovereignty,  viz.  that  of  dispensing 
pardon  at  his  pleasure,  vs.  22 — 24. 


ROMANS  9  :  6—24.  223 


COMMENTARY. 

(6)  It  has  already  been  remarked  (ch.  3  :  3)  that  it  was  a  common 
opinion  among  the  Jews  that  the  promises  of  God  being  made  to  Abra- 
ham and  to  his  seed,  all  connected  with  him  as  his  natural  descendants, 
and  sealed  as  such  by  the  rite  of  circumcision,  would  certainly  inherit 
the  blessings  of  the  Messiah's  reign.  It  was  enough  for  them,  there- 
fore, to  be  able  to  say,  "  We  have  Abraham  to  our  father."  Thrs  being 
the  case,  it  was  obvious  that  it  would  at  once  be  presented  as  a  fatal  ob- 
jection to  the  apostle's  doctrine  of  the  rejection  of  the  Jews,  that  it  was 
inconsistent  with  the  promises  of  God.  Paul,  therefore,  without  even 
distinctly  announcing  the  position  which  he  intended  to  maintain,  re- 
moves this  preliminary  objection.  In  vs.  2,  3,  in  which  he  professed  his 
sorrow  for  his  brethren,  and  his  readiness  to  suffer  for  them,  it  was,  of 
course,  implied  that  they  were  no  longer  to  be  the  peculiar  people  of 
God,  heirs  of  the  promises,  &c.  &c.  This,  Paul  shows,  involves  no 
failure  on  the  part  of  the  divine  promises.  Not  as  though  the  word  of 
God  hath  taken  none  effect^  &;c.  That  is,  '  I  say  nothing  which  implies 
that  the  word  of  God  has  failed.'  The  word  of  God  means  any  thing 
which  God  has  spoken,  and  here,  from  the  connexion,  the  promise  made 
to  Abraham,  including  the  promise  of  salvation  through  Jesus  Christ. 
Hath  taken  none  effect^  literally,  hath  fallen,  i.  e.  failed.  "  It  is  easier 
for  heaven  and  earth  to  pass,  than  one  tittle  of  the  law  to  fail,"  literally, 
to  falU  Luke  16:  17.  So  this  word  is  used  frequently.  The  reason 
why  the  rejection  of  the  Jews  involved  no  failure  on  the  part  of  the  di- 
vine promise  is,  that  the  promise  never  contemplated  the  mere  natural 
descendants  of  Abraham.  For  they  are  not  all  Israel  which  are  of  Is- 
rael, i.  e.  all  the  natural  descendants  of  the  patriarch  are  not  the  true 
people  of  God,  to  whom  alone  the  promises  properly  belong. 

(7)  Neither  because  they  are  the  seed  of  Abraham  are  they  all  chil- 
dren. In  this  and  the  following  verses  the  sentiment  is  confirmed,  that 
natural  descent  from  Abraham  does  not  secure  a  portion  in  the  promised 
inheritance.  The  language  of  this  verse  is,  from  the  context,  perfectly 
intelligible.  The  seed  or  natural  descendants  of  Abraham  are  not  all  his 
children  in  the  true  sense  of  the  term  ;  i.  e.  like  him  in  faith  and  heirs 
of  his  promise.  So  in  Gal.  3:  7,  Paul  says,  "They  which  are  of  faith, 
the  same  are  the  children  of  Abraham." 

But  in  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  called.  As  the  word  rendered  called 
sometimes  means  to  choose,  Isa.  48  :  12.  49  :  1,  the  meaning  of  the  phrase 
may  be,  *  In  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  chosen.'  '  I  will  select  him  as  the 
recipient  of  the  blessings  promised  to  you.'  2.  To  be  called  is  often 
equivalent  to  to  be,  to  be  regarded,  as  Isa.  62 :  4,  "  Thou  shalt  not  be 
called  desolate,"  i.  e.  thou  shalt  not  be  desolate.  Hence,  in  this  case, 
the  text  may  mean,  *In  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be,'  i.  e.  he  shall  be  thy 
seed.  Or,  3.  '•Jfter  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  called,'  they  shall  derive 
their  name  from  him.     Whichever  explanation  be  preferred,  the  meaning 


224  ROMANS  9  ;  6—24. 

of  the  verse  is  the  same.  'Not  all  the  children  of  Abraham  were  made 
the  heirs  of  his  blessings,  but  Isaac  was  selected  by  the  so"ereign  will 
of  God  to  be  the  recipient  of  the  promise.' 

(8)  That  is,  they  which  are  the  children  of  the  Jlesh,  these  are  not 
the  children  of  God.  The  simplest  view  of  this  verse  would  seem  to 
be,  to  regard  it  as  an  explanation  of  the  historical  argument  contained  in 
the  preceding  verse.  '  The  Scriptures  declare  that  Isaac,  in  preference 
to  Ishmael,  was  selected  to  be  the  true  seed  and  heir  of  Abraham,  that  is, 
or  this  proves  that  it  is  not  the  children  of  the  flesh  that  are  regarded  as 
the  children  of  God,'  &c.  This  suits  the  immediate  object  of  the  apos- 
tle, which  is  to  show  that  God,  according  to  his  good  pleasure,  chooses 
one  and  rejects  another,  and  that  he  is  n^t  bound  to  make  the  children  of 
Abraham,  as  such,  the  heirs  of  his  promise.  It  is  very  common,  how- 
ever, to  consider  this  passage  as  analogous  to  that  in  Gal.  4:  22 — 31  ; 
and  to  regard  the  apostle  as  unfolding  the  analogy  between  the  history 
of  Isaac  and  Ishmael  and  that  of  the  spiritual  and  natural  children  of 
Abraham ;  Isaac  being  the  symbol  of  the  former,  and  Ishmael  of  the  lat- 
ter. As  Ishmael,  "who  was  born  after  the  flesh"  (Gal.  4:  23),  i.  e. 
according  to  the  ordinary  course  of  nature,  was  rejected,  so  also  are  the 
children  of  the  flesh  ;  and  as  Isaac,  who  was  born  "  by  promise,"  i.  e. 
in  virtue  of  the  promised  interference  of  God,  was  made  the  heir,  so 
also  are  they  heirs  who,  in  like  manner,  are  the  children  of  the  promise, 
that  is,  who  are  the  children  of  God,  not  by  their  natural  birth,  but  by 
his  special  and  effectual  grace.  This  passage  is  then  designed  to  point 
out  an  instructive  analogy  between  the  case  of  Isaac  and  the  true  chil- 
dren of  God  :  he  was  born  in  virtue  of  a  special  divine  interposition,  so 
now,  those  who  are  the  real  children  of  God  are  born,  not  after  the  flesh, 
but  by  his  special  grace. 

The  children  of  the  promise.  This  expression  admits  of  various  ex- 
planations. 1.  Many  take  it  as  meaning  merely  the  promised  children, 
as  child  of  promise  is  equivalent  to  child  which  is  promised.  But  this 
evidently  does  not  suit  the  application  of  the  phrase  to  believers  as  made 
here,  and  in  Gal.  4  :  28.  2.  It  may  mean,  according  to  a  common  force 
of  the  genitive,  children  in  virtue  of  a  promise.  This  suits  the  con- 
text exactly.  Isaac  was  born  not  after  the  ordinary  course  of  nature,  but 
in  virtue  of  a  divine  promise ;  Gal.  4  :  23,  where  the  expressions  horn 
after  the  flesh,  and  horn  hy  promise,  are  opposed  to  each  other.  It  is 
of  course  implied  in  the  phrase  children  in  virtue  of  a  promise  that  it  is 
by  a  special  interposition  that  they  become  children,  and  this  is  the  sense 
in  which  Paul  applies  the  expression  to  believers  generally.  "  Who  are 
born  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man, 
but  of  God,"  John  1  :  13.  Comp.  Gal.  4 :  28.  3  :  18,  29.  Are  counted 
for  the  seed,  i.  e.  are  regarded  and  treated  as  such.  '  Not  the  natural 
descendants  of  Abraham  are  the  children  of  God,  but  those  who  are  born 
again  by  his  special  interposition,  are  regarded  and  treated  as  his  tru« 
children.'     See  the  same  form  of  expression  in  Gen.  31 :  15. 


ROMANS  9:  6—24.  225 

(9)  For  this  is  the  word  of  promise.  At  this  time  ivill  I  come,  and 
Sarah  shall  have  a  son.  This  verse  is  evidently  designed  to  show  the 
propriety,  and  to  explain  the  force  of  the  phrase  children  (f  the  promise, 
Isaac  was  so  called  because  God  said,  At  this  time  I  will  come,  &c.  This 
is  not  only  a  prediction  and  promise  that  Isaac  should  be  born,  but  also 
a  declaration  that  it  should  be  in  consequence  of  God's  coming,  i.  e.  of 
the  special  manifestation  of  his  power ;  as,  in  scriptural  language,  God 
is  said  to  come  wherever  he  specially  manifests  his  presence  or  favour, 
John  14 :  23.  Luke  1  :  68,  &c. 

(10)  And  not  only  this,  hut  when  Rebecca  ako  had  conceived  by  one, 
&c.  Not  only  the  case  of  Isaac  and  Ishmael  demonstrates  the  sove- 
reignty of  God  in  the  choice  of  the  recipients  of  his  favour,  but  that  of 
Rebecca  evinces  the  same  truth  in  a  still  clearer  light.  It  might  be  sup- 
posed that  Isaac  was  chosen  on  account  of  his  mother,  but  in  the  case  of 
Jacob  there  is  no  room  for  such  a  supposition.  Jacob  and  Esau  had  the 
same  mother,  the  same  father,  and  were  born  at  one  birth.  The  choice 
here  was  certainly  a  sovereign  one. 

(11)  For  the  children  being  not  yet  born,  neither  having  done  any 
good  or  evil,  &c.  The  force  of /or  is  clear  by  a  reference  to  the  pre- 
ceding verse,  and  the  object  of  the  apostle.  '  Not  only  does  the  case  of 
Isaac  and  Ishmael  evince  the  sovereignty  of  God,  but  that  of  Rebecca 
and  her  children  does  the  same,  in  a  still  more  striking  manner,  for  the 
decision  between  her  children  was  made  previous  to  their  birth,  for  the 
very  purpose  of  showing  that  it  was  not  made  on  the  ground  of  works, 
but  of  the  sovereign  pleasure  of  God.'  This  is  an  example  which  can- 
not be  evaded.  With  regard  to  Ishmael,  it  might  be  supposed  that 
either  the  circumstances  of  his  birth  or  his  personal  character  was  the 
ground  of  his  rejection,  but  with  regard  to  Esau  neither  of  these  suppo- 
sitions can  be  made. 

Neither  having  done  good  or  evil.  The  design  of  the  introduction 
of  these  words  is  expressly  stated  in  the  next  clause.  It  was  to  show 
that  the  ground  of  choice  was  not  in  them,  but  in  God  ;  and  this  is  the 
main  point  in  regard  to  the  doctrine  of  election,  whether  the  choice  be  to 
the  privileges  of  the  external  theocracy,  or  to  the  spiritual  and  eternal 
blessings  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

That  the  purpose  of  God,  according  to  election,  might  stand.  This 
is  the  reason  why  the  choice  was  made  prior  to  birth.  The  original  here 
admits  of  various  interpretations,  which,  however,  do  not  materially  alter 
the  sense.  The  word  rendered  purpose  is  that  which  was  used  in  the 
previous  chapter,  v.  28,  and  means  here,  as  there,  a  determination  of  the 
will,  and  of  itself  expresses  the  idea  of  its  being  sovereign,  i.  e.  of 
having  its  ground  in  the  divine  mind  and  not  in  its  objects.  Hence,  in 
2  Tim.  1 :  9,  it  is  said,  "  Who  hath  called  us  not  according  to  our  works, 
but  according  to  his  own  purpose,"  &c. ;  see  E ph.  1  :  11.  3 :  11.  The 
words  according  to  election  are  designed  to  fix  more  definitely  the  na- 
ture of  this  purpose.     The  word  election  often  means  the  act  of  choice 


226  ROMANS  9:  6—24. 

itself,  as  1  Thess.  1:4,  "  Knowing-,  brethren  beloved,  your  election  of 
God."  In  this  sense  the  clause  means,  'The  purpose  of  God  in  refer- 
ence to  election,  or  in  relation  to  this  choice.'  This  view  of  the  passage 
is  perfectly  consistent  with  the  context.  The  choice  was  made  prior  to 
birth,  in  order  that  the  true  nature  of  the  purpose  of  God  in  reference  to 
it  might  appear.  Should  standi  i.  e.  should  be  established  and  recog- 
nised in  its  true  character,  that  is,  that  it  might  be  seen  it  was  not  of 
ivorks,  but  of  him,  that  calleth.  This  purpose  of  God,  in  reference  to 
election,  or  the  choice  itself,  is  not  of  works,  i.  e.  does  not  depend  on 
works,  but  on  him  that  calleth.  That  is,  the  ground  of  the  choice  is  not 
in  those  chosen,  but  in  God  who  chooses.  In  the  same  sense  our  justifi- 
cation is  said  to  be  "  not  of  works,"  Gal.  2  :  16,  and  often;  i.  e.  is  not 
on  the  ground  of  works  ;  see  Rom.  11:6.  2  Tim.  1  :  9.  The  language 
of  the  apostle  in  this  verse,  and  the  nature  of  his  argument,  are  so  per- 
fectly plain,  that  there  is  little  diversity  of  opinion  as  to  his  general 
meaning. 

(12)  It  was  said  to  her  the  elder  shall  serve  the  younger.  These 
words  are  to  be  connected  with  the  10th  verse,  according  to  our  version, 
in  this  manner,  "  Not  only  this,  but  Rebecca  also,  when  she  had  con- 
ceived," &c.  "  it  was  said  to  her,"  &c.  According  to  this  view,  although 
the  construction  is  irregular.,  the  sense  is  sufficiently  obvious.  As  it  was 
said  to  Rebecca  that  the  elder  of  her  sons  should  serve  the  younger,  prior 
to  the  birth  of  either,  it  is  evident  that  the  choice  between  them  was  not 
oa  account  of  their  works.  It  has  been  said  that  this  declaration  relates 
not  to  Jacob  and  Esau  personally,  but  to  their  posterity,  1.  Because  in 
Gen.  25 :  23,  whence  the  quotation  is  made,  it  is  said,  "Two  nations  are 
within  my  womb,  and  the  one  people  shall  be  stronger  than  the  other  peo- 
ple; and  the  elder  shall  serve  the  younger."  2.  Because  Esau  did  not 
personally  serve  Jacob,  although  the  descendants  of  the  one  were  sub- 
jected to  those  of  the  other.  It  is  no  doubt  true  that  the  prediction  con- 
tained in  this  passage  has  reference  not  only  to  the  relative  standing  of 
Jacob  and  Esau,  as  individuals,  but  also  to  that  of  their  descendants.  It 
may  even  be  allowed  that  the  latter  was  principally  intended  in  the  an- 
nunciation to  Rebecca.  But  it  is  clear,  1.  That  this  distinction  between 
the  two  races  presupposed  and  included  a  distinction  between  the  indi- 
viduals. Jacob  was  made  the  special  heir  to  his  father  Isaac,  obtained 
as  an  individual  the  birth-right  and  the  blessing,  and  Esau  as  an  indi- 
vidual was  cast  off.  The  one,  therefore,  was  personally  preferred  to  the 
other.  2.  In  Paul's  application  of  this  event  to  his  argument,  the  dis- 
tinction between  the  two  as  individuals  was  the  very  thing  referred  to. 
This  is  plain  from  the  11th  verse,  in  which  he  says,  "  The  children  being 
not  yet  born,  neither  having  done  any  good  or  evil,"  &c.  It  is,  there- 
fore, the  nature  of  the  choice  between  the  children  that  is  the  point  de- 
signed to  be  presented.  As  to  the  objection  that  Esau  never  personally 
served  Jacob,  it  is  founded  on  the  mere  literal  sense  of  the  words.  Esau 
did  acknowledge  his  inferiority  to  Jacob,  and  was  in  fact  postponed  to 


ROMANS  9  :  G— 24.  227 

him  on  various  occasions.  This  is  the  real  spirit  of  the  passage.  This 
prophecy,  as  is  the  case  with  all  similar  predictions,  had  various  stages 
of  fulfilment.  The  relation  between  the  two  brothers  during  life;  the 
loss  of  the  birth-right  blessing  and  promises  on  the  part  of  Esau  ;  the 
temporary  subjugation  of  his  descendants  to  the  Hebrews  under  David, 
their  final  and  complete  subjection  under  the  Maccabees  ;  and  especially 
their  exclusion  from  the  peculiar  privileges  of  the  people  of  God,  through 
all  the  early  periods  of  their  history,  are  all  included.  Compare  the  pre- 
diction of  the  subjection  of  Ham  to  his  brethren;  and  of  Japheth's  dwell- 
ing in  the  tents  of  Shem,  Gen.  9  :  25 — 27. 

(13)  ^s  it  is  written,Jacob  have  I  loved,  but  Esau  have  I  hated.  These 
words  are  quoted  from  Malachi  1 :  2,  3,  where  the  prophet  is  reproving 
the  Jews  for  their  ingratitude.  As  a  proof  of  his  peculiar  favour,  God 
refers  to  his  preference  for  them  from  the  first,  "  Was  not  Esau  Jacob's 
brother,  saith  the  Lord  ;  yet  I  loved  Jacob,  and  I  hated  Esau,"  &c.  This 
passage,  as  well  as  the  one  quoted  in  v.  12,  and  just  referred  to,  relates 
to  the  descendants  of  Jacob  and  Esau,  as  well  as  to  the  individuals  them- 
selves ;  the  favour  shown  to  the  posterity  of  the  one,  and  withheld  from 

hat  of  the  other,  being  founded  on  the  distinction  originally  made 
between  the  two  brothers.  The  meaning,  therefore,  is,  that  God  preferred 
one  to  the  other,  or  chose  one  instead  of  the  other.  As  this  is  the  idea 
Jheant  to  be  expressed,  it  is  evident  that  in  this  case  the  word  hate  means 
to  love  less,  to  regard  and  treat  ivith  less  favour.  Thus  in  Gen.  29  :  33, 
Leah  says,  she  was  hated  by  her  husband  ;  while  in  the  preceding  verse, 
the  same  idea  is  expressed  by  saying,  "  Jacob  loved  Rachel  more  than 
Leah,"  Matt.  10:  37.  Luke  14  :  26,  "If  a  man  come  to  me  and  hate  not 
his  father  and  mother,"  &c.  John  12  :  25. 

The  doctrine  of  the  preceding  verses  i^s,  that  God  is  perfectly  sovereign 
in  the  distribution  of  his  favours,  that  the  ground  of  his  selecting  one  and 
rejecting  another  is  not  their  works,  but  his  own  good  pleasure.  To  this 
doctrine  there  are  two  plausible  objections;  first,  it  is  not  consistent  with 
the  divine  justice,  v.  14;  second,  it  is  incompatible  with  human  respon- 
sibility, V.  19.  To  the  former  the  apostle  answers  first,  God  claims  dis- 
tinctly in  his  word  this  prerogative,  v.  15;  and  secondly,  he  obviously 
exercises  it,  as  is  seen  in  the  dispensations  of  his  providence,  v.  17. 

(14)  What  shall  we  say  then,  is  there  unrighteousness  with  God?  God 
forbid.  The  apostle,  according  to  his  usual  manner,  proposes  the  objec- 
tion to  his  own  doctrine  in  the  form  of  a  question,  denies  its  validity,  and 
immediately  subjoins  his  reason;  see  Rom.  3:  5.  Gal.  3:21.  The 
obvious  objection  here  presented  is,  that  it  is  unjust  in  God,  thus,  accord- 
ing to  his  own  purpose,  to  choose  one  and  reject  another.  This  Paul 
denies,  and  supports  his  denial  by  an  appeal,  in  the  first  place,  to  Scrip- 
ture, and  in  the  second  to  experience.  It  will  be  remarked  that  these  ar- 
guments of  the  apostle  are  founded  on  two  assumptions.  The  first  is,  that 
the  Scriptures  are  the  word  of  God  ;  and  the  second,  that  what  God  actu- 
ally does  cannot  be  unrighteous.     Consequently  any  objection  which  can 


228  ROMANS  9  :  G-.21. 

be  shown  to  militate  against  either  an  express  declaration  of  Scripture,  or 
an  obvious  fact  in  providence,  is  fairly  answered. 

(15)  For  God  saith  to  Moses^  I  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will  have 
mercy ^  and  I  will  have  compassion  on  whom  I  will  have  compassion.  The 
connexion  and  argument  are  obvious.  '  It  is  not  unjust  in  God  to  exer- 
cise his  sovereignty  in  the  distribution  of  his  mercies,  /or,  he  expressly 
claims  the  right.'  The  passage  quoted  is  from  the  account  of  the  solemn 
interview  of  Moses  with  God.  In  answer  to  the  prayer  of  the  prophet 
for  his  people  and  for  himself,  God  answered,  "  I  will  proclaim  my  name 
before  thee,  and  will  be  gracious  to  whom  I  will  be  gracious,"  &c.  Ex. 
33;  19.  It  is,  therefore,  a  formal  declaration  of  a  divine  prerogative. 
The  form  of  expression  I  will  do  ivhat  I  do,  or  I  do  what  I  do,  is  here,  as 
in  Ex.  16  :  23.  2  Sam.  15  :  20,  designed  to  convey  the  idea,  that  it  rests 
entirely  with  the  agent  to  act  or  not,  at  his  pleasure.  The  ground  of 
decision  is  in  himself.  In  the  connexion  of  this  verse  with  the  former, 
therefore,  it  is  obvious  that  Paul  quotes  this  declaration  to  prove  that  God 
claims  the  sovereignty,  which  he  had  attributed  to  him. 

(16)  So  then  it  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  him  that  runneth,  &c. 
If  the  ground  of  the  decision  or  choice  of  the  objects  of  mercy  be  in  God, 
as  asserted  in  v.  15,  then  it  is  not  in  man,  is  a  conclusion  which  flows  of 
course  from  the  previous  declaration.  The  word  it  refers  to  the  result 
contemplated  in  the  context,  viz.  the  attainment  of  the  divine  favour,  or 
more  definitely,  admission  into  the  Messiah's  kingdom.  The  result, 
when  attained,  is  to  be  attributed  not  to  the  wishes  or  eflforts  of  man,  but 
to  the  mercy  of  God.  That  one,  therefore,  is  taken,  and  another  left, 
that  one  is  introduced  into  this  kingdom  and  another  not,  is  to  be  rfeferred 
to  the  fact  asserted  in  the  preceding  verse,  that,  "  God  will  have  mercy 
on  whom  he  will  have  mercy."  This  seems  plainly  to  be  the  apostle's 
meaning. 

(17)  For  the  Scripture  saith  unto  Pharaoh,  &c.  The  connexion  of  this 
verse  is  with  the  14th,  rather  than  with  the  one  immediately  preceding. 
Paul  is  still  engaged  in  answering  the  objection  proposed  in  the  14th 
verse.  There  is  no  injustice  with  God,  because  he  saith  to  Moses,  'I 
will  have  mercy,'  &c.  v.  15,  and  because  the  Scripture  saith  to  Pharaoh,  for 
this  purpose,  &c.  v.  17.  His  second  answer  to  the  objection  is  that 
God,  in  point  of  fact,  does  exercise  this  sovereignty,  as  is  evident,  from 
the  case  of  Pharaoh.  Pharaoh  was  no  worse  than  many  other  men  who 
have  obtained  mercy;  yet  God,  for  wise  and  benevolent  reasons,  with- 
held from  him  the  saving  influences  of  his  grace,  and  gave  him  up  to  his 
own  wicked  heart,  so  that  he  became  more  and  more  hardened,  until  he 
was  finally  destroyed.  God  did  nothing  to  Pharaoh  -beyond  his  strict 
deserts.  He  did  not  make  him  wicked;  he  only  forebore  to  make  him 
good,  by  the  exertion  of  special  and  altogether  unmerited  grace.  The 
reason,  therefore,  of  Pharaoh's  being  left  to  perish,  while  others  were 
saved,  was  not  that  he  was  worse  than  others,  but  because  God  has  mercy 
on  whom  he  will  have  mercy ;  it  was  because,  among  the  criminals  at 


ROMANS  9:  6—24.  229 

his  bar,  he  pardons  one  and  not  another,  as  seems  good  in  his  sight.  He, 
therefore,  who  is  pardoned  cannot  say  it  was  because  I  was  better  than 
others ;  while  he  who  is  condemned  must  acknowledge  that  he  receives 
nothing  more  than  the  just  recompense  of  his  sins.  In  order  to  establish 
his  doctrine  of  the  divine  sovereignty,  Paul  had  cited  from  Scripture  the 
declaration  that  God  shows  mercy  to  whom  he  will ;  he  now  cites  an 
example  to  show  that  he  punishes  whom  he  will. 

Even  for  this  same  purpose  have  I  raised  thee  up.  This  is  what  God 
said  to  Pharaoh,  as  recorded  in  Ex.  9  :  16.  The  meaning  of  the  decla- 
ration may  be  variously  explained.  In  the  Old  Testament,  the  Hebrew 
word  used  in  the  passage  quoted,  means  literally,  /  have  caused  thee  to 
stand.  This  is  understood  by  some  as  meaning  /  have  called  thee  into 
existence.  2.  By  others,  /  have  preserved  thee.  3.  By  others,  /  have 
raised  thee  up  as  king.  4.  By  others,  /  have  placed  and  continued  thee  as 
my  adversary.  Either  of  these  interpretations  admits  of  being  defended 
on  philological  grounds  more  or  less  satisfactory.  The  fourth,  which  is 
only  a  modification  of  the  second,  is  perhaps  the  nearest  to  the  apostle's 
intention.  '  For  this  purpose  have  1  raised  you  up,  and  placed  you  where 
you  are ;  and  instead  of  cutting  you  off  at  once,  have  so  long  endured  your 
obstinacy  and  wickedness.' 

That  I  might  show  my  power  in  thee,  and  that  my  name  might  be 
declared  in  all  the  earth.  This  is  the  reason  why  God  dealt  with  Pharaoh 
in  the  manner  described.  It  was  not  that  he  was  worse  than  others,  but 
that  God  might  be  glorified.  This  is  precisely  the  principle  on  which  all 
punishment  is  inflicted.  It  is  that  the  true  character  of  the  divine  law- 
giver should  be  known.  This  is  of  all  objects,  when  God  is  concerned, 
the  highest  and  most  important;  in  itself  the  most  worthy,  and  in  its  re- 
sults the  most  beneficent.  The  ground,  therefore,  on  which  Pharaoh 
was  made  an  object  of  the  divine  justice,  or  the  reason  why  the  law  was 
in  his  case  allowed  to  take  its  course,  is  not  to  be  sought  in  any  peculiarity 
of  his  character  or  conduct  in  comparison  with  those  of  others,  but  in  the 
sovereign  pleasure  of  God.  This  result  of  the  argument  Paul  formally 
states  in  the  next  verse. 

(18)  Therefore  hath  he  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and 
whom  he  will  he  hardeneth.  This  is  the  conclusion,  not  merely  from 
the  preceding  verse,  but  from  the  whole  passage,  vs.  14 — 17.  This  per- 
fect sovereignty  in  the  selection  of  the  objects  of  his  mercy  and  of  his 
judgment,  Paul  had  attributed  to  God  in  v.  11,  and,  in  the  subsequent 
verses,  had  proved  that  he  claims  and  exercises  it,  both  in  reference  to 
the  recipients  of  his  favour,  v.  15,  and  the  subjects  of  his  wrath,  v.  17. 
The  doctrine,  therefore,  is  fully  established. 

The  latter  clause  of  this  verse,  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth,  admits  of 
various  explanations.  The  word  may  be  taken  either  in  its  ordinary 
meaning,  or  it  may  be  understood  in  its  secondary  sense.  According  to 
the  latter  view,  it  means  to  treat  harshly,  to  punish.  This  interpreta- 
tion, it  must  be  admitted,  is  peculiarly  suited  to  the  context,  '  He  hath 

I 


230  ROMANS  9:  6—24. 

mercy  on  whom  he  will,  and  he  punishes  whom  he  will.'  Nor  is  it 
entirely  destitute  of  philological  support.  In  Job  39  :  16,  it  is  said  of 
the  ostrich,  "  She  treateth  hardly  her  young."  But,  on  the  other  hand, 
it  is  liable  to  serious  objections.  1.  It  is  certain  that  it  is  a  very  unusual 
sense  of  the  word,  and  opposed  to  the  meaning  in  which  it  frequently 
occurs.  There  should  be  very  strong  reasons  for  departing  from  the 
usual  meaning  of  an  expression  so  common  in  the  Scriptures.  2.  It  is 
inconsistent  with  those  passages  in  the  Old  Testament  which  speak  of 
the  hardening  of  Pharaoh's  heart.  3.  It  removes  no  difficulty  ;  for  what, 
according  to  the  usual  sense  of  the  word,  is  here  said,  is  frequently  said 
elsewhere. 

The  common  sense  of  the  word  is,  therefore,  doubtless  to  be  preferred, 
•whom  he  ivill  he  hardens.  This  is  by  many  understood  to  express  a 
direct  and  positive  influence  of  God  on  the  soul  in  rendering  it  obdurate. 
But,  in  the  first  place,  this  interpretation  is  by  no  means  necessary,  as 
will  presently  be  shown  ;  and,  in  the  second,  it  can  hardly  be  reconciled 
with  what  the  Bible  elsewhere  teaches  of  the  divine  character. 

2.  Others  think  that  this  phrase  is  to  be  explained  by  a  reference  to 
that  scriptural  usage  according  to  which  God  is  said  to  do  whatever,  in- 
directly and  incidentally,  results  from  his  agency  ;  on  the  same  princi- 
ple that  a  father  is  said  to  ruin  his  children,  or  a  master  his  servants ;  or 
that  Christ  is  said  to  produce  wars  and  divisions.  Thus,  Isa.  6  :  10,  the 
prophet  is  commanded  to  make  the  heart  of  the  people  fat,  and  their  ears 
heavy,  and  shut  their  eyes,  &c.,  as  though  to  him  were  to  be  ascribed 
the  incidental  results  of  his  preaching.  In  the  same  way  the  gospel  is 
the  cause  of  death  (not  of  misery  only,  but  of  insensibility  also)  to  those 
who  hear  and  disregard  it. 

3.  Nearly  allied  to  this  mode  of  explanation  is  that  which  rests 
on  the  assumption  that  God  is  said  to  do  what  he  permits  to  be 
done.  Reference  is  made  to  such  passages  as  the  following.  2  Sam. 
12:  11,  "I  will  give  thy  wives  unto  thy  neighbour,"  i.  e.  I  will  per- 
mit him  to  take  them.  2  Sam.  16  :  10,  "The  Lord  hath  said  unto 
him,  curse  David."  Isa.  63 :  17,  "  O  Lord,  why  hast  thou  caused  us 
to  err  from  thy  ways,  and  hardened  our  hearts  from  thy  fear."  Deut. 
2  :  30,  "  For  the  Lord  thy  God  hardened  his  spirit  (Sihon's),  that  he 
might  deliver  him  into  thy  hand."  1  Kings  11 :  23,  "The  Lord  stirred 
up  another  adversary."  Ps.  105 :  25,  "  He  turned  their  hearts  to  hate 
his  people."  In  2  Sam.  24  :  1,  God  is  said  to  have  moved  David  to 
number  the  people;  but  in  1  Chron.  21  :  1,  Satan  is  said  to  have  pro- 
voked David  to  number  Israel.  From  these  and  similar  passages  it  is 
evident  that  it  is  a  familiar  scriptural  usage,  to  ascribe  to  God  effects 
which  he  allows  in  his  wisdom  to  come  to  pass.  Hence  almost  every 
thing  is,  at  times,  spoken  of  as  if  it  was  produced  by  divine  agency, 
although,  in  a  multitude  of  other  places,  these  same  results  are  referred, 
as  in  some  of  the  examples  cited  above,  to  their  immediate  authors. 
According  to  this  mode  of  representation,  God  is  understood  as  merely 


ROMANS  9 :  6—24.      ^  231 

permitting  Pharaoh  to  harden  his  own  heart,  as  the  result  is  often  ex- 
pressly referred  to  Pharaoh  himself,  Exod.  8  :  15,  32,  &c. 

4.  But  there  seems  to  be  more  expressed  by  the  language  of  the  text 
than  mere  permission,  because  it  is  evidently  a  punitive  act  that  is  here 
intended,  and  because  this  view  does  not  suit  the  other  passages  in  which 
God  is  said  to  give  sinners  up  to  the  evil  of  their  own  hearts,  Rom.  1 : 
24,  28.  It  is  probable,  therefore,  that  the  judicial  abandonment  of  men 
"  to  a  reprobate  mind,"  a  punitive  withdrawing  of  the  influences  of  his 
Holy  Spirit,  and  the  giving  them  up  to  the  uncounteracted  operation  of 
the  hardening  or  perverting  influences  by  which  they  are  surrounded,  are 
ail  expressed  by  the  language  of  the  apostle.  In  this  God  does  no  more 
than  what  he  constantly  threatens  to  do,  or  which  the  Scriptures  declare 
he  actually  does,  in  the  case  of  those  who  forsake  him ;  and  nothing 
more  than  every  righteous  parent  does  in  reference  to  a  reprobate  son. 
This,  in  connexion  with  the  principle  referred  to  above  (in  No.  2),  seems 
as  much  as  can  fairly  be  considered  as  included  in  the  expressions. 

(19)  Thou  wilt  then  say  unto  jne,  Why  doth  he  yet  find  fault  ?  for 
who  hath  resisted  his  will?  This  is  the  second  leading  objection  to  the 
apostle's  doctrine.  If  it  is  true,  as  he  has  just  taught,  that  the  destiny 
of  men  is  in  the  hands  of  God,  if  it  is  not  of  him  who  willeth,  or  of  him 
that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  showeth  mercy  ;  what  can  we  do  1  If  the 
fact  that  one  believes  and  is  saved,  and  another  remains  impenitent  and 
is  lost,  depends  on  God,  how  can  we  be  blamed  ]  Can  we  resist  his 
wiin  To  this  objection  the  apostle  gives  two  answers:  1.  That  it 
springs  from  ignorance  of  the  true  relation  between  God  and  men,  as 
Creator  and  creatures,  and  of  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  divine  au- 
thority over  us,  vs.  20,  21.  2.  That  there  is  nothing  in  his  doctrine 
inconsistent  with  the  divine  perfections ;  since  he  does  not  make  men 
wicked,  but  from  the  mass  of  wicked  men  he  pardons  one  and  punishes 
another,  for  the  wisest  and  most  benevolent  purposes,  vs.  22,  23. 

(20)  Nay,  hut,  0  man,  who  art  thou  that  repUest  against  God  ? 
Shall  the  thing  formed,  k^o,.  In  these  words  we  have  both  a  reproof 
and  an  answer.  The  reproof  is  directed  against  the  irreverent  spirit 
whence  such  cavils  always  arise.  After  the  clear  proof  given  in  the 
preceding  verses,  that  God  claims  this  sovereignty  in  his  word,  and  ex- 
ercises it  in  his  providence,  it  argues  great  want  of  reverence  for  God  to 
assert  that  this  claim  involves  the  grossest  injustice.  It  is  very  common 
with  the  sacred  writers,  and  with  Christ  himself,  wlien  questions  or 
cavils  are  presented,  to  direct  their  answers  more  to  the  feeling  which 
the  question  indicated,  than  to  the  question  itself;  see  John  3  :  3.  Matt. 
8:  19,  20,  22.  19:  16.  22:  29.  But  in  this  case,  besides  this  reproof 
for  a  miserable  mortal  attempting  to  call  his  Maker  to  account,  instead 
of  considering  that  the  mere  fact  that  God  claims  any  thing  as  his  right, 
is  evidence  enough  that  it  is  just,  there  is  a  direct  answer  to  the  diffi- 
culty. The  objection  is  founded  on  ignorance  or  misapprehension  of  the 
true  relation  between  God  and  his  sinful  creatures.     It  supposes  that  he 


ROMANS  9:  6—24. 

is  under  obligation  to  extend  his  grace  to  all.  Whereas  he  is  under 
obligation  to  none.  All  are  sinners,  and  have  forfeited  every  claim  to 
his  mercy ;  it  is,  therefore,  perfectly  competent  to  God  to  spare  one  and 
not  another;  to  make  one  vessel  to  honour,  and  another  to  dishonour. 
He,  as  their  sovereign  Creator,  has  the  same  right  over  them  that  a  pot- 
ter has  over  the  clay.  It  is  to  be  borne  in  mind  that  Paul  does  not  here 
speak  of  the  right  of  God  over  his  creatures  as  creatures,  but  as  sinful 
creatures ;  as  he  himself  clearly  intimates  in  the  next  verses.  It  is  the 
cavil  of  a  sinful  creature  against  his  Creator,  that  he  is  answering;  and 
he  does  it  by  showing  that  God  is  under  no  obligation  to  give  his  grace 
to  any,  but  is  as  sovereign  as  the  potter  in  fashioning  the  clay. 

Shall  the  thing  formed  say  to  him  that  formed  it,  Why  hast  thou  made 
me  thus  ?  See  Isaiah  45  :  9.  In  this  clause  Paul  presents  mainly  the 
idea  of  God's  right,  and  in  the  subsequent  verses  he  shows  that  nothing 
unjust  is  included  in  the  right  here  claimed.  We  are  justly  in  his  hands  ; 
and  it  is  the  height  of  irreverence  and  folly  for  us  to  call  him  to  account 
for  the  manner  in  which  he  may  see  fit  to  dispose  of  us. 

(21)  Hath  not  the  potter  poiver  over  the  clay,  out  of  the  same  lump,  to 
make  one  vessel,  &c.  The  word  rendered  power  means  also  authority  and 
right.  In  this  case  it  means,  the  lawful  power  or  right ;  he  not  only  can 
do  it,  but  he  has  a  perfect  right  to  do  it ;  see  the  use  of  the  Greek  word 
in  Matt.  21 :  23.  1  Cor.  8 :  9,  and  frequently  elsewhere.  This  verse  is 
merely  an  illustration  of  the  idea  contained  in  the  last  clause  of  the  pre- 
ceding. The  Creator  has  a  perfect  right  to  dispose  of  his  creatures  as 
he  sees  fit.  From  the  very  idea  of  a  creature,  it  can  have  no  claim  on  the 
Creator  ;  whether  it  exists  at  all,  or  how,  or  where,  from  the  nature  of 
the  case,  must  depend  on  him,  and  be  at  his  sovereign  disposal.  The 
illustration  of  this  truth  which  follows,  is  peculiarly  appropriate.  The 
mass  of  fallen  men  is  in  the  hands  of  God  as  clay  in  the  hands  of  the 
potter,  and  it  is  his  right  to  dispose  of  them  at  pleasure ;  to  make  all  ves- 
sels unto  honour,  or  all  unto  dishonour,  or  some  to  one  and  some  to  the 
other.  These  are  points  on  which,  from  the  nature  of  the  relation,  we 
have  no  right  to  question  or  complain. 

(22,  23)  What  if  God,  willing  to  show  his  wrath,  and  to  viake  his 
power  known,  endured  with  much  long-suffering  the  vessels  of  wrath  fitted 
to  destruction ;  and  that  he  might  make  known  the  riches  of  his  glory 
on  the  vessels  of  mercy,  which  he  had  afore  prepared  unto  glory,  even 
us  ?  &c.  These  verses  contain  Paul's  second  answer  to  the  difficulty 
presented  in  the  19th  verse.  He  had  shown  in  vs.  20,  21,  that  in  virtue 
of  his  relation  to  men  as  his  sinful  creatures,  God  is  at  perfect  liberty  to' 
dispose  of  them  at  his  pleasure,  pardoning  one  and  punishing  another,  as 
seemeth  good  in  his  sight.  He  now  shows  that  in  the  exercise  of  this 
right  there  is  nothing  unreasonable  or  unjust,  nothing  of  which  his  crea- 
tures have  the  least  right  to  complain.  The  punishment  of  the  wicked 
is  not  an  arbitrary  act,  having  no  object  but  to  make  them  miserable ; 
it  is  designed  to  manifest  the  displeasure  of  God  against  sin,  and  to  make 


ROMANS  9:  6—04.  233^ 

known  his  true  character.  On  the  other  hand,  the  salvation  of  thp  right- 
eous is  designed  to  display  the  riches  of  his  grace.  Both  in  the  punish- 
ment of  the  one  class,  and  the  salvation  of  the  other,  most  important  and 
benevolent  ends  were  to  be  answered.  And  since  for  these  ends  it  was 
necessary  that  some  should  be  punished,  while  others  might  be  pardoned, 
as  all  are  equally  undeserving,  it  results  from  the  nature  of  the  case  that 
the  decision  between  the  vessels  of  wrath  and  the  vessels  of  mercy  must 
be  left  to  God.  The  apostle  would,  moreover,  have  it  remarked  that  even 
in  the  necessary  punishment  of  the  wicked,  God  does  not  proceed  with 
any  undue  severity,  but,  on  the  contrary,  deals  with  them  with  the  greatest 
long-suffering  and  tenderness.  Such  seems  to  be  the  general  purport  and 
object  of  these  difficult  verses. 

The  attentive  reader  will  perceive  that  even  with  the  insertion  of  the 
word  what,  which  has  nothing  to  answer  to  it  in  the  original,  and  with  a 
sign  of  interrogation  at  the  end  of  v.  24,  the  construction  of  the  passage 
in  our  version  remains  ungrammatical  and  the  sense  incomplete.  As  the 
difficulty  exists  in  the  Greek  text,  and  not  merely  in  our  translation,  the 
explanations  which  have  been  proposed  are  very  numerous.  The  most 
natural  explanation  is  the  following,  '  What  if  God,  willing  to  show  his 
wrath,  bore  with  much  long-suffering  the  vessels  of  wrath;  (and  what  if 
willing)  to  manifest  the  riches  of  his  glory  on  the  vessels  of  mercy,'  &c. 
According  to  this  interpretation  the  second  clause  of  v.  22,  and  the  first 
clause  of  v.  23,  are  co-ordinate,  both  depending  on  the  beginning  of  v.  22. 
*What  right  have  we  to  object  if  God,  for  the  display  of  his  righteous  jus- 
tice, punishes  the  wicked,  and  for  the  manifestation  of  his  glory  pardons 
the  vessels  of  mercy.'  This  gives  a  good  sense,  and  one  consistent  with 
the  context.  It  assumes,  indeed,  that  the  construction  of  the  passage  is 
irregular ;  but  this  assumption  must  be  made  whatever  interpretation  is 
adopted. 

The  two  objects  which  Paul  here  specifies  as  designed  to  be  answered 
by  the  punishment  of  the  wicked,  are  the  manifestation  of  the  wrath  of 
God,  and  the  exhibition  of  his  power.  The  word  wrath  is  used  here  as 
in  ch.  1 :  18,  for  the  divine  displeasure  against  sin,  the  calm  and  holy 
disapprobation  of  evil,  joined  with  the  determination  to  punish  those  who 
commit  it.  The  power  of  God  is  conspicuously  displayed  in  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  wicked,  no  matter  how  mighty  or  numerous  they  may  be. 
Though  the  inherent  ill-desert  of  sin  must  ever  be  regarded  as  the  pri- 
mary ground  of  the  infliction  of  punishment,  a  ground  which  would 
remain  in  full  force,  were  no  beneficial  results  anticipated  from  the  misery 
of  the  wicked,  yet  God  has  so  ordered  his  government  that  the  evils 
which  sinners  incur  shall  result  in  the  manifestation  of  his  character,  and 
the  consequent  promotion  of  the  holiness  and  happiness  of  his  intelligent 
creatures  throughout  eternity. 

God  treats  the  wicked,  not  as  a  severe  judge,  but  with  much  long-suf- 
fering. The  expression  vessels  of  wrath  no  doubt  suggested  itself  from 
the  illustration  of  the  potter  used  in  the  preceding  verse  ;  though  the  termr 

u2 


234  ROMANS  9  :  6—24. 

vessel  is  used  not  unfrequently  in  reference  to  men,  Acts  9:15.  1  Pet.  3  : 
7.  Vessels  of  wrath,  i.  e.  vessels  which  deserve  wrath,  or  which  are  to 
be  objects  of  wrath  ;  as  vessels  of  mercy  are  those  which  are  to  be  the 
objects  of  mercy  ;  or  these  phrases  may  mean  vessels  destined  to  wrath  and 
destined  to  mercy,  corresponding  to  the  expressions  vessels  unto  honour  and 
unto  dishonour,  of  the  preceding  verse.  This  last  explanation,  on  account 
of  the  context,  seems  the  most  probable. 

Fitted  to  destruction.  The  word  here  used  admits  of  being  taken  either 
as  passive  or  middle,  and  may,  therefore,  be  rendered  as  it  is  in  our  ver- 
sion, or  who  have  fitted  themselves  for  destruction.  If  the  passive  sense 
be  adopted,  then  the  meaning  may  be,  prepared  by  God  for  destruction  ; 
or  the  participle  maybe  taken  rather  as  a  verbal  adjective,  Jiited  for 
destruction,  expressing  merely  the  idea  of  being  ready  for  that  end. 
In  favour  of  this  latter  view,  it  may  be  noticed  that  in  the  next  verse, 
when  speaking  of  the  vessels  of  mercy,  the  active  voice  is  used, 
"  which  God  had  before  prepared  unto  glory  ;"  as  if  designedly  to  mark  the 
difference  between  the  two  cases.  If  the  other  explanation  (^prepared  by 
God)  be  adopted,  then,  of  course,  the  words  must  be  taken  in  a  sense  mo- 
dified by  the  nature  of  the  subject,  and  other  passages  of  Scripture. 
Wicked  men  are  prepared  for  destruction  by  God,  not  as  being  created 
for  that  purpose,  but  as  being  devoted  to  it  on  account  of  their  sins,  and 
borne  with  until  they  are  ripe  for  their  doom.  This  explanation  is 
adopted  not  only  by  the  stronger  Calvinists,  but  by  many  of  the  neolo- 
gical  commentators.  There  seems,  however,  no  valid  objection  to  the 
interpretation  prepared  or  fit  for  destruction  ;  and  which  is  the  rather  to 
be  preferred,  because  the  apostle,  being  here  engaged  in  vindicating  the 
divine  proceedings,  would  naturally  speak  of  the  objects  of  the  divine 
wrath  as  being  fitted  for  destruction,  in  the  sense  of  deserving  it,  &c. 

(23)  And  thai  he  might  make  knoiun  the  riches  of  his  glory,  &c.  See 
the  preceding  verse  for  the  grammatical  connexion  of  this  verse  with 
v.  22.  The  sense  is  plain,  'What  right  have  men  to  complain,  if  God 
punishes  the  wicked,  and  manifests  the  riches  of  his  glory  on  the  objects 
of  his  mercy  V  The  word  glory  is  used  in  reference  to  any  thing  in  God 
which  is  the  foundation  of  praise.  Hence,  it  is  used  for  each  of  his 
attributes,  as,  for  example,  for  his  power,  Rom.  6  :  4.  John  11  :  40 ;  for 
his  mercy,  Eph.  3  :  16,  and  here ;  or  for  all  his  attributes  collectively,  as 
in  2  Cor.  4 :  6,  "To  give  us  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of 
God,"  &c.  Such,  too,  may  be  its  force  in  this  passage,  as  it  is  not  mercy 
only,  but  wisdom,  power,  goodness,  &c.,  which  are  manifested  in  the 
salvation  of  his  people.  As  the  wrath  and  power  of  God  are  manifested 
in  the  destruction  of  the  wicked,  so  are  the  riches  of  his  glory  in  the 
salvation  of  his  people. 

On  the  vessels  of  mercy,  which  he  had  afore  prepared  unto  glory. 
For  the  meaning  of  the  phrase  vessels  of  mercy,  see  the  preceding  verse. 
The  word  rendered  he  had  afore  prepared  has  this  signification  fre- 
quently ;  indeed  it  is  its  common  and  proper  meaning.    Since  to  prepare 


ROMANS  9  :  6—24.  235 

beforehand  and  to  predestine  are  very  nearly  related  ideas,  the  word  is 
also  used  in  tliis  latter  sense.  Eph.  2:  10,  "Which  God  had  before 
ordained  that  we  should  walk  in  them."  This  meaning  is  commonly 
adopted  here,  "  Which  God  had  foreordained  unto  glory ;'  see  the  pa- 
rallel passage  in  Acts  13 :  48,  "As  many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life 
believed."  The  other  signification  of  the  word,  however,  gives  a  very 
good  sense.  '  Which  he  had  before  prepared,  by  his  providence  and 
grace,  unto  glory.' 

(24)  Even  us,  whom  he  hath  called,  not  of  the  Jews  only,  hut  also 
of  the  Gentiles.  We  are  the  vessels  of  his  mercy,  even  we  whom  he 
hath  called,  i.  e.  effectually  introduced  by  his  Spirit  into  the  kingdom  of 
Christ ;  see  ch.  8  :  28,  30.  How  naturally  does  the  apostle  here  return 
to  the  main  subject  of  discussion  !  How  skilfully  is  the  conclusion 
brought  out  at  which  he  has  continually  aimed  !  God  chose  Isaac  in 
preference  to  Ishmael,  Jacob  in  preference  to  Esau;  it  is  a  prerogative 
which  he  claims  and  exercises,  of  selecting  from  among  the  guilty 
family  of  men  whom  he  pleases  as  the  oTjjects  of  his  mercy,  and  leaving 
whom  he  pleases  to  perish  in  their  sins,  unrestricted  in  his  choice  by  the 
descent  or  previous  conduct  of  the  individuals.  He  has  mercy  upon 
whom  he  will  have  mercy.  He  calls  men,  therefore,  from  among  the 
Gentiles,  and  from  among  the  Jews,  indiscriminately.  This  is  the 
result  at  which  the  apostle  aimed.  The  Gentiles  are  admitted  into  the 
Messiah's  kingdom,  vs.  25,  26;  and  the  great  body  of  the  Jews  are 
excluded,  v.  27.  This  conclusion  he  confirms  by  explicit  declarations 
of  Scripture. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  No  external  circumstance,  no  descent  from  pious  parents,  no  con- 
nexion with  the  true  church,  can  secure  admission  for  men  into  the  king- 
dom of  Christ,  vs.  6 — 12. 

2.  Paul  teaches  clearly  the  doctrine  of  the  personal  election  of  men  to 
eternal  life,  an  election  founded  not  on  works,  but  on  the  good  pleasure 
of  God.  The  choice  is  to  eternal  life,  and  not  to  external  privileges 
merely.  1.  Because  the  very  point  to  be  illustrated  and  established, 
through  this  and  the  two  following  chapters,  is  the  free  admission  of 
men  into  the  Messiah's  kingdom  and  its  spiritual  and  eternal  blessings, 
2.  Because  the  language  of  the  apostle  seems  of  itself  to  preclude  the 
other  idea,  in  vs.  15,  16,  and  especially  in  v.  18,  "  Therefore  he  hath 
mercy  on  whom  he  will,  and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth."  This  is  not 
applicable  to  the  reception  of  men  to  a  state  of  peculiar  external  privileges 
or  their  rejection  from  it.  3.  The  case  of  Pharaoh  is  not  an  illustration 
of  the  refusal  to  admit  some  men  to  peculiar  privileges.  4.  The  choice 
is  between  the  vessels  of  mercy  and  vessels  of  wrath;  vessels  of  mercy 
chosen  unto  glory,  not  unto  church  privileges,  and  vessels  of  wrath  who 
were  to  be  made  the  examples  of  God's  displeasure  against  sin.    5.  The 


236  ROMANS  9:  6—24. 

character  of  the  objections  to  the  apostle's  doctrine  shows  that  such  was 
the  nature  of  the  choice. 

The  election  here  spoken  of  is  a  choice  of  individuals,  and  not  of 
communities.  This  appears,  1.  Because  it  is  a  choice  to  eternal  life. 
2.  From  the  cases  of  Isaac  and  Ishmael,  and  Jacob  and  Esau,  between 
whom,  as  individuals,  the  choice  was  made.  3.  From  the  illustration 
derived  from  the  case  of  Pharaoh.  4.  From  the  objections  presented  in 
vs.  14,  19.  5.  From  the  answer  to  these  objections  in  vs.  15, 16,  20,  23, 
especially  from  the  passage  just  referred  to,  which  speaks  of  the  vessels 
of  mercy  prepared  unto  glory ;  which  cannot  be  applied  to  nations  or 
communities. 

This  election  is  sovereign,  i.  e.  is  founded  on  the  good  pleasure  of 
God,  and  not  on  any  thing  in  its  objects.  1.  Because  this  is  expressly 
asserted.  The  choice  between  Jacob  and  Esau  was  made  prior  to  birth, 
that  it  might  be  seen  that  it  was  not  founded  on  works,  but  on  the  good 
pleasure  of  God,  v.  11.  The  same  is  clearly  stated  in  v.  16,  "It  is  not 
of  him  that  willeth  or  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  showeth 
mercy ;"  and  also  in  v.  18,  "  Therefore  he  hath  mercy  on  whom  he  will," 
&c.  The  decision  rests  with  God.  2.  Because  otherwise  there  would 
be  no  shadow  of  objection  to  the  doctrine.  How  could  men  say  it  was 
unjust  if  God  chose  one  and  rejected  another  according  to  their  works? 
And  how  could  any  one  object,  as  in  v.  19,  '  that  as  the  will  of  God  could 
not  be  resisted,  men  were  not  to  be  blamed,'  if  the  decision  in  question 
did  not  depend  on  the  will  of  God,  but  on  that  of  men  %  How  easy  for 
the  apostle  to  have  answered  the  objector,  '  You  are  mistaken,  the  choice 
is  not  of  God,  he  does  not  choose  whom  he  wills,  but  who  he  sees  will 
choose  him.  It  is  not  his  will,  but  man's  that  decides  the  point.'  Paul 
does  not  so  answer,  but  vindicates  the  doctrine  of  the  divine  sovereignty. 
The  fact,  therefore,  that  Paul  had  to  answer  the  same  objections  which 
are  now  constantly  urged  against  the  doctrine  of  election,  goes  far  to 
show  that  that  doctrine  was  his.  3.  That  the  election  is  sovereign,  is 
taught  elsewhere  in  Scripture.  In  2  Tim.  1:9,  it  is  said  to  be  "  not 
according  to  our  works,  but  according  to  his  own  purpose  and  grace." 
E ph.  1  :  5,  it  is  said  to  be  "  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will," 
i.  e.  his  sovereign  pleasure.  4.  This  view  alone  harmonizes  with  the 
doctrine  that  all  good  thoughts,  and  right  purposes  and  feelings,  proceed 
from  God,  which  is  clearly  taught  in  the  Scriptures.  For  if  the  purpose 
not  to  resist  'common  grace'  is  a  right  purpose,  it  is  of  God,  and,  of 
course,  it  is  of  him  that  one  man  forms  it,  and  another  does  not.  5.  This 
doctrine  is  alone  consistent  with  Christian  experience.  "  Why  was  I 
made  to  hear  thy  voice!"  No  Christian  answers  this  question  by  say- 
ing, because  I  was  better  than  others. 

3.  The  two  leading  objections  against  the  doctrine  of  election,  viz. 
that  it  is  inconsistent  with  the  divine  character,  and  incompatible  with 
human  responsibility,  are  answered  by  the  apostle.  It  cannot  be  unjust, 
because  God  claims  and  exercises  the  right  of  sovereign  choice.    It  is 


ROMANS  9  :  6—24.  237 

not  inconsistent  with  human  responsibility,  because  God  does  not  make 
men  wicked.  Though,  as  their  Creator,  he  has  a  right  to  dispose  of 
wicked  men  as  he  pleases,  he  only  of  the  same  corrupt  mass  chooses  one 
to  honour,  and  the  other  to  dishonour,  vs.  14 — 23. 

4.  Scripture  must  ever  be  consistent  with  itself.  The  rejection  of  the 
Jews  could  not  be  inconsistent  with  any  of  God's  promises,  v.  6. 

5.  The  true  children  of  God  become  such  only  in  virtue  of  a  divine  pro- 
mise or  by  the  special  exercise  of  his  grace.  They  are  born  not  of  the 
will  of  the  flesh,  but  of  God,  v.  8. 

6.  Tliough  children  prior  to  birth  do  neither  good  nor  evil,  yet  they 
may  be  naturally  depraved.  They  neither  hunger  nor  thirst,  yet  are 
hunger  and  thirst  natural  appetites.  They  exercise  neither  love  nor 
anger,  yet  are  these  natural  passions.  They  know  probably  neither  joy 
nor  sorrow,  yet  are  these  natural  emotions,  v.  11. 

7.  The  manifestation  of  the  divine  perfections  is  the  last  and  highest 
end  of  all  things,  vs.  17,  22,  23. 

8.  The  fact  that  the  destiny  of  men  is  in  the  hands  of  God  (that  it  is 
not  of  him  that  willeth,  or  him  that  runneth),  is  not  inconsistent  with 
the  necessity  of  the  use  of  means.  The  fact  that  the  character  of  the 
harvest  depends  on  the  sovereign  pleasure  of  God,  does  not  render  the 
labour  of  the  husbandman  of  no  account.  The  same  God  who  says,  "I 
will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will,"  says  also,  "  Work  out  your  salvation 
with  fear  and  trembling."  The  sovereignty  of  God  and  the  necessity  of 
human  efforts  are  both  clearly  taught  in  the  Scriptures.  At  times  the 
former,  as  in  this  chapter,  at  times  the  latter  doctrine  is  most  insisted 
upon.  Neither  should  be  forgotten  or  neglected,  as  both  conspire  to 
produce  the  right  impression  on  the  mind,  and  to  lead  us  to  God  in  the 
way  of  his  own  appointment,  v.  16. 

9.  Men,  considered  as  the  objects  of  election,  are  regarded  as  fallen. 
It  is  from  the  corrupt  mass  that  God  chooses  one  vessel  to  honour  and 
one  to  dishonour,  vs.  22,  23. 

10.  The  judicial  abandonment  of  men  to  their  own  ways,  the  giving 
them  up  to  work  out  their  own  destruction,  is  a  righteous  but  dreadful 
doom,  vs.  18,  22,  also  ch.  1 :  24,  26. 


1.  If  descent  from  Abraham,  participation  in  all  the  privileges  of  the 
theocracy,  the  true  and  only  church,  failed  to  secure  for  the  Jews  the 
favour  of  God,  how  foolish  the  expectation  of  those  who  rely  on  outward 
ordinances  and  church  relations  as  the  ground  of  their  acceptance! 
vs.  6—13. 

2.  The  doctrine  of  the  sovereignty  of  God  in  the  choice  of  the  objects 
of  his  mercy  should  produce,  1.  The  most  profound  humility  in  those 
who  are  called  according  to  his  purpose.  They  are  constrained  to  say, 
"  Not  unto  us,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name  be  all  the  glory."  2.  The 
liveliest  gratitude  that  we,  though  so  unworthy,  should  from  eternity 


238  ROMANS  9  :  25—33. 

have  been  selected  as  the  objects  in  which  God  will  display  "  the  riches 
of  his  glory."  3.  Confidence  and  peace,  under  all  circumstances,  be- 
cause the  purpose  of  God  does  not  change ;  whom  he  has  predestinated, 
them  he  also  calls,  justifies,  and  glorifies.  4.  Diligence  in  the  discharge 
of  all  duty,  to  make  our  calling  and  election  sure.  That  is,  to  make  it 
evident  to  ourselves  and  others  that  we  are  the  called  and  chosen  of  God. 
We  should  ever  remember  that  election  is  to  holiness,  and  consequently 
to  live  in  sin  is  to  invalidate  every  claim  to  be  considered  as  one  of 
"  God's  elect." 

3.  As  God  is  the  immutable  standard  of  right  and  truth,  the  proper 
method  to  answer  objections  against  the  doctrines  we  profess,  is  to  appeal 
to  what  God  says,  and  to  what  he  does.  Any  objection  that  can  be 
shown  to  be  inconsistent  with  any  declaration  of  Scripture,  or  with  any 
fact  in  providence,  is  sufficiently  answered,  vs.  15,  17. 

4.  It  should,  therefore,  be  assumed,  as  a  first  principle,  that  God  can- 
not do  wrong.  If  he  does  a  thing,  it  must  be  right.  And  it  is  much 
safer  for  us,  corrupt  and  blinded  mortals,  thus  to  argue,  than  to  pursue 
the  opposite  course,  and  maintain  that  God  does  not  and  cannot  do  so 
and  so,  because  in  our  judgment  it  would  be  wrong,  vs.  15 — 19. 

5.  All  cavilling  against  God  is  wicked.  It  is  inconsistent  with  our 
relation  to  him  as  our  Creator.  It  is  a  manifestation  of  self-ignorance, 
and  of  irreverence  to  God,  v.  20. 

6.  What  proof  of  piety  is  there  in  believing  our  own  eyes,  or  in  receiv- 
ing the  deductions  of  our  own  reasoning?  But  to  confide  in  God,  when 
clouds  and  darkness  are  round  about  him;  to  be  sure  that  what  he  does 
is  right,  and  that  what  he  says  is  true,  when  we  cannot  see  how  either 
the  one  or  the  other  can  be,  this  is  acceptable  in  his  sight.  And  to  this 
trial  he  subjects  all  his  people,  vs.  20 — 24. 

7.  If  the  manifestation  of  the  divine  glory  is  the  highest  end  of  God 
in  creation,  providence  and  redemption,  it  is  the  end  for  which  we  should 
live  and  be  willing  to  die.  To  substitute  any  other  end,  as  our  own 
glory  and  advantage,  is  folly,  sin,  and  self-destruction,  vs.  17,  22,  23. 

8.  The  fact  that  God  says  to  some  men,  "Let  them  alone  ;"  that  "he 
gives  them  up  to  a  reprobate  mind  ;"  that  he  withholds  from  them,  in 
punishment  of  their  sins,  the  influences  of  his  Spirit,  should  fill  all  the 
impenitent  with  alarm.  It  should  lead  them  to  obey  at  once  his  voice, 
lest  he  swear  in  his  wrath  that  they  shall  never  enter  into  his  rest, 
vs.  17,  18. 

9.  We  and  all  things  else  are  in  the  hands  of  God.  He  worketh  all 
things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will.  The  Lord  reigns,  let  the  earth 
rejoice,  vs.  14 — 24. 

CHAP.  9:  25—33. 

*^As  he  saith  also  in  Osee,  I  will  call  them  my  people  which  were  not 
my  people    and  her  beloved,  which  was  not  beloved.     26A.nd  it  shall 


ROMANS  9  :  25—33.  239 

come  to  pass,  that  in  the  place  where  it  was  said  unto  them,  Ye  are  not 
my  people;  there  shall  they  be  called  the  children  of  the  living  God. 
^''Esaias  also  crieth  concerning  Israel,  Though  the  number  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  be  as  the  sand  of  the  sea,  a  remnant  shall  be  saved :  ^^for 
he  will  finish  the  work,  and  cut  it  short  in  righteousness  :  because  a 
short  work  will  the  Lord  make  upon  the  earth.  ^^AnA  as  Esaias  said 
before.  Except  the  Lord  of  Sabaoth  had  left  us  a  seed,  we  had  been  as 
Sodoma,  and  been  made  like  unto  Goroorrha.  ^"What  shall  we  say 
then  ■?  That  the  Gentiles,  which  followed  not  after  righteousness,  have 
attained  to  righteousness,  even  the  righteousness  which  is  of  faith. 
"But  Israel,  which  followed  after  the  law  of  righteousness,  hath  not 
attained  to  the  law  of  righteousness.  ^^Wherefore  ?  Because  they  sought 
it  not  by  faith,  but  as  it  were  by  the  works  of  the  law.  For  they  stum- 
bled at  that  stumbling-stone;  ^^as  it  is  written,  Behold,  I  lay  in  Sion  a 
stumbling-stone  and  rock  of  offence :  and  whosoever  believeth  on  him 
shall  not  be  ashamed. 

ANALYSIS. 

The  conclusion  at  which  the  apostle  had  arrived  in  the  preceding  sec- 
tion was,  that  God  was  at  liberty  to  select  the  objects  of  his  mercy,  in- 
discriminately, from  among  the  Gentiles  and  Jews.  This  conclusion  he 
now  confirms  by  the  declarations  of  the  Old  Testament,  according  to 
which  it  is  clear,  1.  That  those  were  to  be  included  in  the  kingdom  of 
God  who  originally  were  considered  as  aliens,  vs.  25,  26  ;  and,  2.  That, 
as  to  the  Israelites,  only  a  small  portion  should  attain  to  the  blessings 
of  the  Messiah's  reign,  and,  of  course,  the  mere  being  a  Jew  by  birth 
was  no  security  of  salvation,  vs.  27 — 29.  The  inference  from  all  this 
is,  that  the  Gentiles  are  called,  and  the  Jews,  as  Jews,  are  rejected, 
vs.  30,  31.  The  reason  of  this  rejection  is,  that,  they  would  not  submit 
to  the  terms  of  salvation  presented  in  the  gospel,  v.  32.  As  it  had  been 
long  before  predicted,  they  rejected  their  Messiah,  taking  offence  at  him, 
seeing  in  him  no  form  nor  comeliness,  that  they  should  desire  him,  v.  33, 

COMMENTARY. 

(25)  The  first  part  of  the  general  conclusion,  contained  in  the  24th 
verse,  is,  that  the  Gentiles  are  eligible  to  the  blessings  of  Christ's  king- 
dom. This  the  apostle  confirms  by  two  passages  from  the  prophecies 
of  Hosea,  which  express  the  general  sentiment  that  those  who,  under 
the  old  economy,  were  not  regarded  as  the  people  of  God,  should  here- 
after (i.  e.  under  the  Messiah)  become  his  people.  The  first  passage 
cited  is  from  Hos.  2 :  23,  which  in  our  version  is,  "I  will  have  mercy 
on  her  that  had  not  obtained  mercy  ;  and  I  will  say  to  them  which  ivere 
not  my  people,  thou  art  my  people."  The  Hebrew,  however,  admits  of 
the  rendering  given  by  the  apostle,  as  the  word  translated  to  have  mercy 
may  signify  to  love.  The  difficulty  with  regard  to  this  passage  is,  that 
in  Hosea  it  evidently  has  reference  not  to  the  heathen,  but  to  the  ten 


240  ROMANS  9  :  25—33. 

tribes  ;  whereas  Paul  refers  it  to  the  Gentiles,  as  is  also  done  by  Peter, 
1  Pet.  2 :  10.  This  difficulty  is  sometimes  gotten  over  by  giving  a  dif- 
ferent view  of  the  apostle's  object  in  the  citation,  and  making  it  refer  to 
the  restoration  of  the  Jews.  But  this  interpretation  is  obviously  at  va- 
riance with  the  context.  It  is  more  satisfactory  to  say  that  the  ten  tribes 
were  in  a  heathenish  state,  relapsed  into  idolatry,  and,  therefore,  what 
was  said  of  them,  is  of  course  applicable  to  others  in  like  circumstances, 
or  of  like  character.  What  amounts  to  much  the  same  thing,  the  senti- 
ment of  the  prophet  is  to  be  taken  generally,  '  those  who  were  excluded 
from  the  theocracy,  who  were  regarded  and  treated  as  aliens,  were  here- 
after to  be  treated  as  the  people  of  God.'  In  this  view,  it  is  perfectly 
applicable  to  the  apostle's  object,  which  was  to  convince  the  Jews  that 
the  blessings  of  Christ's  kingdom  were  not  to  be  confined  within  the 
pale  of  the  Old  Testament  economy,  or  limited  to  those  who,  in  their 
external  relations,  were  considered  the  people  of  God  ;  on  the  contrary, 
those  who,  according  to  the  rules  of  that  economy,  were  not  the  people 
of  God,  should  hereafter  become  such.  This  method  of  interpreting  and 
applying  Scripture  is  both  common  and  correct.  A  general  truth,  stated 
in  reference  to  a  particular  class  of  persons,  is  to  be  considered  as  in- 
tended to  apply  to  all  those  whose  character  and  circumstances  are  the 
same,  though  the  form  or  words  of  the  original  enunciation  may  not  be 
applicable  to  all  embraced  within  the  scope  of  the  general  sentiment. 
Thus  what  is  said  of  one  class  of  heathen,  as  such,  is  applicable  to  all 
others,  and  what  is  said  of  one  portion  of  aliens  from  the  Old  Testament 
covenant,  may  properly  be  referred  to  others. 

(26)  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  in  the  place  where  it  was  said  to 
them,  ye  are  not  my  people,  &c.  This  quotation  is  more  strictly  con- 
formed to  the  Hebrew  than  the  preceding.  It  is  from  Hos.  1 :  10.  The 
sentiment  is  the  same  as  before. 

(27,  28)  The  second  part  of  the  apostle's  conclusion,  v.  24,  is  that  the 
Jews,  as  such,  were  not  to  be  included  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  which 
of  course  is  implied  in  all  those  predictions  which  speak  of  them  as  in 
general  cut  off  and  rejected.  Two  such  passages  Paul  quotes  from 
Isaiah.  The  first  is  from  Isa.  10 :  22,  23.  Though  the  number  of  the 
children  of  Israel  be  as  the  sand  of  the  sea^  a  remnant  shall  be  saved, 
for  he  will  finish  the  work  and  cut  it  short  in  righteousness  :  because 
a  short  work  will  the  Lord  make  in  the  earth.  This  passage  is  nearer 
the  LXX.  translation  than  the  Hebrew.  The  general  sense  is  the  same 
in  both,  and  also  in  the  apostle's  version,  *  However  numerous  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  might  be,  only  a  small  portion  of  them  should  escape  the 
judgments  of  God.'  This  being  the  case,  it  is  evident  that  the  mere 
being  a  Jew  was  never  considered  sufficient  to  secure  the  divine  favour. 
The  portion  of  the  prophecy  contained  in  v.  27  is  the  principal  point, 
'  Only  a  few  of  the  Jews  were  to  be  saved.'  What  is  contained  in  v.  28 
is  an  amplification,  or  states  the  converse  of  the  preceding  proposition, 


ROMANS  9:  25—33.  241 

Most  of  tlie  Jews  should  be  cut  off.'     The  passage  in  Isaiah,  therefore, 
IS  strictly  applicable  to  the  apostle's  object. 

(29)  The  second  passage  quoted  bj"^  the  apostle  is  from  Isa.  1 :  9, 
Except  the  Lord  of  hosts  had  left  us  a  seed,  toe  had  been  as  Sodom, 
been  made  like  unto  Gomorrah.  The  object  of  this  quotation  is  the 
same  as  that  of  the  preceding,  viz.  to  show  that  being  Israelites  was  not 
enough  to  secure  either  exemption  from  divine  judgments,  or  the  enjoy- 
ment of  God's  favour.  The  passage  is  perfectly  in  point,  for  although 
the  prophet  is  speaking  of  the  national  judgments  which  the  people  had 
brought  upon  themselves  by  their  sins,  and  by  which  they  were  well 
nigh  cut  off  entirely,  yet  it  was  necessarily  involved  in  the  destructioa 
of  the  people  for  their  idolatry  and  other  crimes,  that  they  perished  from 
the  kingdom  of  God.  Of  course  the  passage  strictly  proves  what  Paul 
designed  to  establish,  viz.  that  the  Jews,  as  Jews,  were  as  much  exposed 
to  God's  judgments  as  others,  and  consequently  could  lay  no  special 
claim  to  admission  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Paul  here  again  follows  the  Septuagint.  The  only  difference,  how- 
ever, is  that  the  Greek  version  has  a  seed,  instead  of  a  remnant,  as  it  is  in 
the  Hebrew.  The  sense  is  precisely  the  same.  The  Hebrew  word 
means  that  which  remains ;  and  seed,  as  used  in  this  passage,  means  the 
seed  preserved  for  sowing.  The  figure,  therefore,  is  striking  and  beau- 
tiful. Lord  of  hosts  is  a  frequent  designation  for  the  Supreme  God  Iq 
the  Old  Testament.  As  the  word  host  is  used  in  reference  to  any  multi- 
tude arranged  in  order,  as  of  men  in  an  army,  of  angels,  of  the  stars,  or 
of  all  the  heavenly  bodies,  including  the  sun  and  moon  ;  so  the  expres- 
sion Lord  of  hosts  may  mean  Lord  of  armies.  Lord  of  angels,  or  Lord  of 
heaven,  or  of  the  universe  as  a  marshalled  host;  see  1  Kings  22:  19, 
♦'I  saw  the  Lord  sitting  on  his  throne,  and  all  the  host  of  heaven  stand- 
ing by  him;"  2  Chron.  18  :  18.  Ps.  103  :  21.  148 :  2,  "  Praise  ye  him, 
all  his  angels,  praise  ye  him,  all  his  hosts."  In  other  passages  the 
reference  is,  with  equal  distinctness,  to  the  stars,  Jer.  33  :  22.  Deut. 
4:19,  and  frequently.  It  is  most  probable,  therefore,  that  God  is  called 
Lord  of  hosts  in  reference  to  his  headship  over  the  whole  heavens,  and 
all  that  they  contaifi,  Lord  of  hosts  being  equivalent  to  Lord  of  the 
universe. 

(30)  Having  proved  that  God  was  free  to  call  the  Gentiles,  as  well  as 
the  Jews,  into  his  kingdom,  and  that  it  had  been  predicted  that  the  great 
body  of  the  Jews  were  to  be  rejected,  he  comes  now  to  state  the  imme- 
diate ground  of  this  rejection.  What  shall  we  say  then?  This  may 
mean  either,  '  What  is  the  inference  from  the  preceding  discussion?'  and 
the  answer  follows,  '  The  conclusion  is,  the  Gentiles  are  called  and  the 
Jews  rejected ;'  or,  '  What  shall  we  say,  or  object  to  the  fact  that  the 
Gentiles  are  accepted,'  &c.  &c.  But  the  former  explanation  is  better 
suited  to  the  context,  especially  to  v.  32,  and  to  the  apostle's  common 
use  of  this  expression  ;  see  v.  14,  eh.  7:  7.  8  :  31. 

That  the  Gentiles,  which  followed   not    after  righteousness,  have  at* 

X 


242  ROMANS  9:  25—33. 

tazned,  &c.  The  inference  is,  that  what  to  all  human  probahility  was 
the  most  unlikely  to  occur,  has  actually  taken  place.  The  Gentiles, 
sunk  in  carelessness  and  sin,  have  attained  the  favour  of  God,  while  the 
Jews,  to  whom  religion  was  a  business,  have  utterly  failed.  Why  is 
this  1  The  reason  is  given  in  v.  32  ;  it  was  because  they  would  not  sub- 
mit to  be  saved  on  the  terms  which  God  proposed,  but  insisted  on  reach- 
ing heaven  in  their  own  way.  To  follow  after  righteousness  is  to  press 
forward  towards  it,  as  towards  the  prize  in  a  race,  Phil.  3 :  14.  The 
word  rendered  righteousness,  might  more  properly  be  rendered  justifica- 
tion, the  consequence  of  having  fulfilled  the  law;  a  state  of  favour  with 
God.  It,  therefore,  includes  all  the  blessings  consequent  on  union  to 
Christ;  see  Gal.  2:  21.  3:  21.  5:  5.  This  the  Gentiles  did  not  seek 
after,  they  cared  nothing  about  the  favour  of  God  and  the  blessings  there- 
with connected.  But  still  they  attained  to  righteousness,  i.  e.  as  before, 
justification,  all  the  consequences  of  being  righteous  in  the  estimation 
of  God. 

Even  the  righteousness  which  is  nf  faith,  i.  e.  even  that  justification  which 
is  attained  by  faith.  In  all  these  clauses,  however,  the  word  righteous- 
ness, as  expressing  the  sum  of  the  divine  requisitions,  that  which  fulfils 
the  law,  may  be  retained.  '  The  Gentiles  did  not  seek  this  righteousness, 
yet  they  attained  it ;  not  that  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that 
which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  of  God  (accept- 
able to  God)  by  faith,'  Phil.  3  :  9.  They  obtained  that  which  satisfied 
the  demands  of  the  law,  and  was  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God.  It  is 
very  probable  that  Paul  included  both  ideas  in  the  word  which  he  used, 
that  is,  both  the  excellence  which  satisfied  the  law,  i.  e.  righteousness, 
and  its  consequence,  i.  e.  justification. 

(31)  What  the  Gentiles  thus  attained,  the  Jews  failed  to  secure.  Tho 
former  he  had  described  as  "  not  following  after  righteousness ;"  the 
latter  he  characterizes  as  those  who  follow  after  the  law  of  righteousness. 
The  expression  laiu  of  righteousness  may  be  variously  explained.  Law 
may  be  taken  in  its  general  sense  of  rule,  as  in  ch.  3  :  27,  and  elsewhere. 
The  meaning  would  then  be,  '  They  followed  after,  i.  e.  they  attended 
diligently  to,  the  rule  which  they  thought  would  lead  to  their  attaining 
righteousness  or  being  justified,  but  they  did  not  attain  unto  that  rule 
which  actually  leads  to  such  results.'  Or,  2.  The  word  law  may  be 
redundant,  and  Paul  may  mean  to  say  nothing  more  than  that  '  The  Jews 
sought  righteousness  or  justification,  but  did  not  attain  it.'  This,  no 
doubt,  is  the  substance,  though  it  may  not  be  the  precise  form  of  the 
thought.  In  favour  of  this  view  is  a  comparison  with  the  preceding  and 
succeeding  verses,  and  the  fact  that  the  word  is  elsewhere  nearly  redun- 
dant, as  "  law  of  sin,"  ch.  7 :  23,  for  sin  itself.  The  first  interpretation, 
however,  is  probably  the  most  correct. 

(32)  The  reason  why  the  Jews  failed  of  securing  the  divine  favour  is 
thus  stated.  Because  they  sought  it  not  by  faith,  hut,  as  it  were,  by  the 
works  of  the  law.     In  other  words,  they  would  not  submit  to  the  method 


ROMANS  9  :  25—33.  243 

of  justification  proposed  by  God,  which  was  alone  suitable  for  sinners, 
and  persisted  in  trusting  to  their  own  imperfect  works.  The  force  of  the 
word  rendered  as  it  were,  may  be  explained  by  paraphrasing  the  clause 
thus,  *  as  though  they  supposed  it  could  be  obtained  by  the  works  of  the 
law ;'  (see  2  Cor.  3  :  5.  2  :  7,)  '  They  sought  it  as  {being)  of  the  works  of 
the  law.'  For  they  stumbled  at  that  stumbling-stone.  That  is,  they  did 
as  it  had  been  predicted  they  would  do,  they  took  offence  at  the  Messiah 
and  at  the  plan  of  salvation  which  he  came  to  reveal. 

(33)  What  it  was  they  stumbled  at,  the  apostle  declares  in  this  verse, 
and  shows  that  the  rejection  of  the  Messiah  by  the  Jews  was  predicted 
in  the  Old  Testament.  As  it  is  written,  Behold  I  lay  in  Zion  a  stumbling- 
stone  and  a  rock  of  offence ;  and  whosoever  believeth  on  him  shall  not  be 
ashamed.  This  passage  is  apparently  made  up  of  two,  one  occurring  in 
Isa.  28  :  16,  the  other  in  Isa.  8  :  14.  In  both  of  these  passages  mention 
is  made  of  a  stone,  but  the  predicates  of  this  stone,  as  given  in  the  latter 
passage,  are  transferred  to  the  other,  and  those  there  mentioned  omitted. 
This  method  of  quoting  Scripture  is  common  among  all  writers,  especially 
where  the  several  passages  quoted  and  merged  into  each  other,  refer  to 
the  same  subject.  It  is  obvious  that  the  writers  of  the  New  Testament 
are  very  free  in  their  mode  of  quoting  from  the  Old,  giving  the  sense,  as 
they,  being  inspired  by  the  same  Spirit  could  do  authoritatively,  without 
binding  themselves  strictly  to  the  words.  The  former  of  the  two  pas- 
sages here  referred  to,  stands  thus,  in  our  version,  "Behold  I  lay  in  Zion 
for  a  foundation  a  stone,  a  tried  stone,  a  precious  corner-s/one,  a  sure 
foundation  ;  he  that  believeth  shall  not  make  haste,"  which  is  according 
to  the  Hebrew.  The  other  passage,  Isa.  8  :  14,  is,  "  And  he  shall  be  for 
a  sanctuary ;  but  for  a  stone  of  stumbling  and  a  rock  of  offence  to  both 
houses  of  Israel." 

Isaiah  28,  is  a  prophecy  against  those  who  had  various  false  grounds 
of  confidence,  and  who  desired  a  league  with  Egypt  as  a  defence  against 
the  attacks  of  the  Assyrians.  God  says  he  has  laid  a  much  more  secure 
foundation  for  his  church  than  any  such  confederacy,  even  a  precious, 
tried  corner-stone ;  those  who  confided  on  it  should  never  be  confounded. 
The  prophets,  constantly  filled  with  the  expectation  of  the  Messiah,  and, 
in  general,  ignorant  of  the  time  of  his  advent,  were  accustomed,  on  every 
threatened  danger,  to  comfort  the  people  by  the  assurance  that  the  efforts 
of  their  enemies  could  not  prevail,  because  the  Messiah  was  to  come. 
Until  his  advent,  they  could  not,  as  a  people,  be  destroyed,  and  when  he 
came,  there  should  be  a  glorious  restoration  of  all  things;  see  Isa.  7  : 
14 — 16,  and  elsewhere.  There  is,  therefore,  no  force  in  the  objection, 
that  the  advent  of  Christ  was  an  event  too  remote  to  be  available  to  the 
consolation  of  the  people,  when  threatened  with  the  immediate  invasion 
of  their  enemies.  This  passage,  therefore,  is  properly  quoted  by  the 
apostle,  because  it  was  intended  originally  to  apply  to  Christ.  The 
sacred  writers  of  the  New  Testament  so  understood  and  explain   it; 


244  ROMANS  9  :  25—33. 

see  I  Pet.  2  :  6.  Matt.  21 :  42.  Acts  4:11;  compare  also  Ps.  118  :  22. 
1  Cor.  3:11.  Eph.  2  :  20,  and  other  passages,  in  which  Christ  is  spoken 
of  as  the  foundation  or  corner-stone  of  his  church.  The  same  interpre- 
tation of  the  passage  was  given  by  the  ancient  Jews. 

The  other  passage,  Isa.  8 :  14,  is  of  much  the  same  character.  God 
exhorts  the  people  not  to  be  afraid  of  the  combination  between  Syria  and 
Ephraim.  The  Lord  of  hosts  was  to  be  feared  and  trusted,  he  would  be 
a  refuge  to  those  who  confided  in  him,  but  a  stone  of  stumbling  and  rock 
of  offence  to  all  others.  This  passage  too,  as  appears  from  a  comparison 
of  the  one  previously  cited  with  Ps.  118  :  22,  and  the  quotation  and  appli- 
cation of  them  by  the  New  Testament  writers,  refers  to  Christ.  What  is 
said  in  the  Old  Testament  of  Jehovah,  the  inspired  penmen  of  the  New 
do  not  hesitate  to  refer  to  the  Saviour;  compare  John  12 :  41.  Isa.  6  :  1. 
Heb.  1  :  10,  11.  Ps.  102 :  25.  1  Cor.  10  :  9.  Ex.  17 :  2,  7.  When  God, 
therefore,  declared  that  he  should  be  a  sanctuary  to  one  class  of  the  people, 
and  a  rock  of  offence  to  another,  he  meant  that  he,  in  the  person  of  his 
Son,  as  the  Immanuel,  would  thus  be  confided  in  by  some,  but  rejected 
and  despised  by  others.  The  whole  spirit,  opinions,  and  expectations  of 
the  Jews  were  adverse  to  the  person,  character,  and  doctrines  of  the 
Redeemer.  He  was,  therefore,  to  them  a  stumbling  block,  as  he  was  to 
others  foolishness.  They  could  not  recognise  him  as  their  fondly  antici- 
pated Messiah,  nor  consent  to  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven  on  the  terras 
which  he  prescribed.  In  them,  therefore,  were  fulfilled  the  ancient  pro- 
phecies, which  spoke  of  their  rejection  of  Christ,  and  consequent  excision 
from  the  people  of  God. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  Exclusion  from  the  pale  of  any  visible  church  does  not  of  itself 
imply  that  men  are  without  the  reach  of  divine  mercy,  vs.  25,  26. 

2.  As  the  world  has  hitherto  existed,  only  a  small  portion  of  the  nomi- 
nal members  of  the  church,  or  of  the  professors  of  the  true  religion,  has 
been  the  real  people  of  God,  vs.  27,  28,  29. 

3.  Error  is  often  a  greater  obstacle  to  the  salvation  of  men  than  care- 
lessness or  vice.  Christ  said  that  publicans  and  harlots  would  enter 
the  kingdom  of  God  before  the  Pharisees.  In  like  manner  the  thought- 
less and  sensual  Gentiles  were  more  susceptible  of  impression  from  the 
gospel,  and  were  more  frequently  converted  to  Christ,  than  the  Jews, 
who  were  wedded  to  erroneous  views  of  the  plan  of  salvation,  vs.  30,  31. 

4.  Agreeably  to  the  declarations  of  the  previous  portion  of  this  chapter, 
and  the  uniform  tenor  of  Scripture,  the  ground  of  the  distinction  between 
the  saved  and  the  lost  is  to  be  found,  not  in  men,  but  in  God.  He  has 
mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy.  But  the  ground  of  the  condemna- 
tion of  men  is  always  in  themselves.  That  God  gave  his  saving  grace 
to  more  Gentiles  than  Jews,  in  the  early  ages  of  the  church,  must  be 
referred  to  his  sovereign  pleasure ;  but  that  the  Jews  were  cut  off  and 


ROMANS  9  :  25—33.  245 

perished,  is  to  be  referred  to  their  own  unbelief.  In  like  manner,  every 
sinner  must  look  into  his  own  heart  and  conduct  for  the  ground  of  his 
condemnation,  and  never  to  any  secret  purpose  of  God,  v.  32. 

5.  Christ  crucified  has  ever  been  either  foolishness  or  an  offence  to 
unrenewed  men.  Hence,  right  views  of  the  Saviour's  character  and  cor- 
dial approbation  of  the  plan  of  salvation  through  him,  are  characteristic  of 
those  "  who  are  called ;"  i.  e.  they  are  evidences  of  a  renewed  heart, 
V.  33. 


1 .  The  consideration  that  God  has  extended  to  us,  who  were  not  his 
people,  all  the  privileges  and  blessings  of  his  children,  should  be  a  con- 
stant subject  of  gratitude,  vs.  25,  26. 

2.  If  only  a  remnant  of  the  Jewish  church,  God's  own  people,  were 
saved,  how  careful  and  solicitous  should  all  professors  of  religion  be, 
that  their  faith  and  hope  be  well  founded,  vs.  27 — 29. 

3.  Let  no  man  think  error  in  doctrine  a  slight  practical  evil.  No  road 
to  perdition  has  ever  been  more  thronged  than  that  of  false  doctrine. 
Error  is  a  shield  over  the  conscience,  and  a  bandage  over  the  eyes,  vs. 
30,  31. 

4.  No  form  of  error  is  more  destructive  than  that  which  leads  to  self- 
dependence  ;  either  reliance  on  our  own  powers,  or  on  our  own  merit, 
v.  32. 

5.  To  criminate  God,  and  excuse  ourselves,  is  always  an  evidence  of 
ignorance  and  depravity,  v.  32. 

6.  Christ  declared  those  blessed  who  were  not  offended  at  him.  If 
our  hearts  are  right  in  the  sight  of  God,  Jesus  Christ  is  to  us  at  once 
the  object  of  supreme  affection,  and  the  sole  ground  of  confidence,  v.  33. 

7.  The  gospel  produced  at  first  the  same  effects-as  those  we  now  wit- 
ness. It  had  the  same  obstacles  to  surmount;  and  it  was  received  or 
rejected  by  the  same  classes  of  men  then  as  now.  Its  history,  therefore, 
is  replete  with  practical  instruction. 


CHAPTER  X. 


CONTENTS. 


The  object  of  this  chapter,  as  of  the  preceding  and  of  the  one  which 
follows,  is  to  set  forth  the  truth  in  reference  to  the  rejection  of  the  Jews 
as  the  peculiar  people  of  God,  and  the  extension  to  all  nations  of  the 
offers  of  salvation.  The  first  verses  are  again,  as  those  at  the  beginning 
of  ch.  9,  introductory  and  conciliatory,  setting  forth  the  ground  of  the 
rejection  of  the  Jews,  vs.  1 — 4.    The  next  section  contains  an  exhibitioo 

x2 


240  ROMANS  10:  1—10. 

of  the  terms  of  salvation,  designed  to  show  that  they  were  as  accessible 
to  the  Gentiles  as  the  Jews,  vs.  5 — 10.  The  plan  of  salvation  being 
adapted  to  all,  and  God  being  the  God  of  all,  the  gospel  should  be 
preached  to  all,  vs.  11 — 17.  The  truth  here  taught  (the  calling  of  the 
Gentiles,  &c.)  was  predicted  clearly  in  the  Old  Testament,  vs.  18 — 21. 

CHAP.  10:  1—10. 

^Brethren,  my  heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God  for  Israel  is,  that  they 
might  be  saved.  ^For  I  bear  them  record  that  they  have  a  zeal  of  God, 
but  not  according  to  knowledge.  ^For  they  being  ignorant  of  God's 
righteousness,  and  going  about  to  establish  their  own  righteousness,  have 
not  submitted  themselves  unto  the  righteousness  of  God.  ^For  Christ  ia 
the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth.  ^For 
Moses  describeth  the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law.  That  the  man 
•which  doeth  those  things  shall  live  by  them.  °But  the  righteousness 
"which  is  of  faith  speaketh  on  thiswise.  Say  not  in  thine  heart,  Who  shall 
ascend  into  heaven  ]  (that  is,  to  bring  Christ  down  from  above  ••)  ^Or, 
Who  shall  descend  into  the  deep  1  (that  is,  to  bring  up  Christ  again  from 
the  dead.)  ^But  what  saith  it?  The  word  is  nigh  thee,  e?;en  in  thy 
mouth,  and  in  thy  heart:  that  is,  the  word  of  faith,  which  we  preach  ; 
^that  if  thou  shall  confess  with  thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  shalt 
believe  in  thine  heart  that  God  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead,  thou  shalt 
be  saved.  *°For  with  the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness  ;  and 
with  the  mouth  confession  is  made  unto  salvation. 

ANALYSIS. 

With  his  usual  tenderness  the  apostle  assures  his  brethren  of  his  soli- 
citude for  their  welfare,  and  of  his  proper  appreciation  of  their  character, 
vs.  1,  2.  The  difficulty  was,  that  they  would  not  submit  to  the  plan  of 
salvation  proposed  in  the  gospel,  and,  therefore,  they  rejected  the  Saviour. 
This  was  the  true  ground  of  their  excision  from  the  people  of  God,  vs. 
3,  4.  The  method  of  justification,  on  which  the  Jews  insisted,  was 
legal,  and  from  its  nature  must  be  confined  to  themselves,  or  to  those 
who  would  consent  to  become  Jews.  Its  terms,  when  properly  under- 
stood, were  perfectly  impracticable,  v.  5.  But  the  gospel  method  of  sal- 
vation prescribes  no  such  severe  terms,  it  simply  requires  cordial  faith 
and  open  profession,  vs.  6 — 10.  This,  he  shows,  in  the  next  verse,  is 
the  doctrine  of  the  Scriptures,  and  from  it  he  infers  the  applicability  of 
this  plan  to  all  men,  Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1)  Brethren,  my  heart'' s  desire,  and  prayer  to  God  for  Israel  is, 
that  they  might  he  saved.  As  the  truth  which  Paul  was  to  reiterate  in 
the  ears  of  the  Jew  was,  of  all  others,  to  them  the  most  offensive,  he 
endeavours  to  allay  their  enmity,  first,  by  assuring  them  of  his  affection ; 


ROMANS  10:  1—10.  247 

and,  secondly,  by  avoiding  all  exaggeration  in  the  statement  of  their  case. 
He  had  no  pleasure  in  contemplating  the  evils  which  impended  over  them, 
his  earnest  desire  and  prayer  was  iJiat  they  might  he  saved;  literally /o 
salvation,  as  expressing  the  end  or  object  towards  which  his  wishes  and 
prayers  tend;  see  ch.  6  :  22.  Gal.  3  :  17,  and  frequent  examples  else- 
where of  this  use  of  the  preposition  here  used. 

(2)  For  I  bear  them  record  that  they  have  a  zeal  of  God.  So  far  from 
desiring  to  exaggerate  the  evil  of  their  conduct,  the  apostle,  as  was  his 
uniform  manner,  endeavoured  to  bring  every  thing  commendable  and  ex- 
culpatory fully  into  view.  The  word  for  has  here  its  appropriate  force, 
as  it  introduces  the  ground  or  reason  of  the  preceding  declaration.  'I 
desire  their  salvation, /or  they  themselves  are  far  from  being  unconcerned 
as  to  divine  things.'  Zeal  of  God  may  mean  very  great  zeal,  as  cedars  of 
God  mean  great  cedars,  according  to  a  common  Hebrew  idiom  ;  or  zeal 
of  which  God  is  the  object ;  the  latter  explanation  is  to  be  preferred, 
John  2:  17,  "  The  zeal  of  thy  house  hath  eaten  me  up."  Acts  21  :  20, 
"  Zealous  of  the  law."  Acts  22  :  3,  "  Zealous  of  God."  Gal.  1  :  14, 
&c.  &e.  The  Jews  had  great  zeal  about  God,  but  it  was  wrong  as  to  its 
object,  and  of  consequence  wrong  in  its  moral  qualities.  Zeal  when 
rightly  directed,  however  ardent,  is  humble  and  amiable.  When  its 
object  is  evil,  it  is  proud,  censorious,  and  cruel.  But  not  according  to 
knowledge.  Neither  enlightened  nor  wise  ;  neither  right  as  to  its  objects, 
nor  correct  in  its  character.  The  former  idea  is  here  principally  intended. 
The  Jews  were  zealous  about  their  law,  the  traditions  of  their  fathers, 
and  the  establishment  of  their  own  merit.  How  naturally  would  a 
zeal  for  such  objects  make  men  place  religion  in  the  observance  of  exter- 
nal rites ;  and  be  connected  with  pride,  censoriousness,  and  a  persecuting 
spirit.  In  so  far,  however,  as  this  zeal  was  a  zeal  about  God,  it  was  pre- 
ferable to  indifference,  and  is,  therefore,  mentioned  by  the  apostle  with 
qualified  commendation. 

(3)  For  they  being  ignorant  of  God''s  righteousness,  and  going  about 
to  establish  their  own  righteousness,  have  not,  &c.  The  grand  mistake 
of  the  Jews  was  about  the  method  of  justification.  Ignorance  on  this 
point  implied  ignorance  of  the  character  of  God,  of  the  requirements  of  the 
law,  and  of  themselves.  It  was,  therefore,  and  is,  and  must  continue 
ever  to  be  a  vital  point.  Those  who  err  essentially  here,  err  fatally ;  and 
those  who  are  right  here,  cannot  be  wrong  as  to  other  necessary  truths. 
The  phrase  righteousness  of  God  admits  here,  as  in  other  parts  of  the 
epistle,  of  various  interpretations.  See  remarks  on  ch.  1  :  17.  The 
interpretation  which  best  suits  this  and  other  similar  passages  is,  that 
righteousness  of  which  God  is  the  author  /  that  which  he  approves  and 
accepts.  The  meaning  then  is,  '  Being  ignorant  of  that  righteousness 
which  God  has  provided,  and  endeavouring  to  establish  their  own,  they 
have  not  submitted  to  his.'  The  cause  of  the  rejection  of  the  Jews  was 
their  rejection  of  the  method  of  salvation  through  a  crucified  Redeemer 


248  ROMANS  10:  1—10. 

and  their  persisting  in  confiding  in  their  own  merits  and  advantages  as 
the  ground  of  their  acceptance  with  God. 

(4)  For  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one 
that  believeth.  The  general  import  of  the  passage  is  sufficiently  obvious, 
but  its  exact  sense  is  not  so  easy  to  determine,  on  account  of  the  ambi- 
guity of  the  word  translated  end.  The  word  may  signify,  1.  The  object 
to  which  any  thing  leads.  Christ  is,  in  this  sense,  the  end  of  the  law, 
inasmuch  as  the  law  was  a  schoolmaster  to  lead  us  to  him,  Gal.  3  :  24 ; 
and  as  all  its  types  and  prophecies  pointed  to  him,  "  They  were  a  shadow 
of  things  to  come,  but  the  body  is  of  Christ,"  Col.  2  :  17.  Heb.  9 :  9. 
The  meaning  and  connexion  of  the  passage  would  then  be,  'The  Jews 
erred  in  seeking  justification  from  the  law,  for  the  law  was  designed  not 
to  afford  justification,  but  to  lead  them  to  Christ,  in  order  that  they  might 
be  justified.'  2.  The  word  may  be  taken  in  the  sense  of  completion  or 
fulfilment.  Then  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law,  because  he  fulfils  all  its 
requisitions,  all  its  types  and  ceremonies,  and  satisfies  its  preceptive  and 
penal  demands.  See  Matt.  5 :  17.  Rom.  8:4.  3.  We  may  take  the 
word  in  its  more  ordinary  sense  of  end  or  termination,  and  understand  it 
metonymically  for  he  who  terminates  or  puts  an  end  to.  The  meaning 
and  connexion  would  then  be,  'The  Jews  mistake  the  true  method  of 
justification,  because  they  seek  it  from  the  law,  whereas  Christ  has 
abolished  the  law,  in  order  that  all  who  believe  may  be  justified.'  Com- 
pare Eph.  2:  15,  "Having  abolished  in  his  flesh  the  enmity,  even  the 
law  of  commandments  ;"  Col.  2  :  14,  "  Blotting  out  the  handwriting  of 
ordinances  that  was  against  us,"  &c. ;  Gal.  3  :  10 — 13.  Rom.  6  :  14.  7  : 
4,  6,  and  the  general  drift  of  the  former  part  of  the  epistle.  In  sense 
this  interpretation  amounts  to  the  same  with  the  preceding,  though  it 
differs  from  it  in  form.  Christ  has  abolished  the  law,  not  by  destroying, 
but  by  fulfilling  it.  He  has  abolished  the  law  as  a  rule  of  justification, 
or  covenant  of  works,  and  the  whole  Mosaic  economy  having  met  its 
completion  in  him,  has  by  him  been  brought  to  an  end.  Either  this  or 
the  first  interpretation  is  probably  the  correct  one.  In  favour  of  the  for- 
mer is  the  ordinary  import  of  the  word  here  used  by  the  apostle ;  and  in 
favour  of  the  latter  is  the  drift  of  the  early  part  of  the  epistle,  which  was 
to  show  that  through  Christ  we  are  delivered  from  the  law,  and  intro- 
duced into  a  state  of  grace.  It  matters  little  which  view  is  preferred. 
The  word  law  is  obviously  here  used  in  its  prevalent  sense  throughout 
this  epistle,  for  the  whole  rule  of  duty  prescribed  to  man,  including  for 
the  Jews  the  whole  of  the  Mosaic  institutions.  The  law  is  intended  in 
every  sense  in  which  law  has  been  fulfilled,  satisfied,  or  abrogated  by 
Jesus  Christ.  For  righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth.  The  ge- 
neral meaning  of  this  clause,  in  this  connexion,  is,  '  So  that  every  believer 
may  be  justified.'  The  Jews,  then,  did  not  submit  to  the  method  of 
justification  proposed  by  God,  or  to  the  righteousness  which  he  had  pro- 
vided, for  they  did  not  submit  to  Christ,  who  is  the  end  of  the  law.     He 


ROMANS  10:  1—10.  249 

is  that  to  which  the  law  leads,  or  he  has  abolished  the  law,  so  that  every 
one  that  believes  may  be  justified. 

(5)  For  Moses  describeth  the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law.  That 
is,  concerning  the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  Moses  thus  writes. 
In  the  last  clause  of  the  preceding  verse  it  was  clearly  intimated  that 
faith  was  the  condition  of  salvation  under  the  gospel.  '  To  every  one, 
without  distinction,  that  believeth  is  justification  secured.'  On  this  the 
apostle  connects  his  description  and  contrast  of  the  two  methods  of  jus- 
tification, the  one  by  works  and  the  other  by  faith,  with  the  design  to 
show  that  the  former  was  in  its  nature  impracticable,  while  the  other 
W'as  reasonable  and  easy,  and  adapted  to  all  classes  of  men,  Jews  and 
Gentiles,  and  should  therefore  be  offered  to  all. 

The  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law.  The  word  rendered  right- 
eousness may  here  again  be  variously  explained.  1.  The  method  of  jus- 
tification, or  of  becoming  righteous.  This  suits  the  context ;  '  Moses 
describes  the  legal  method  of  justification  thus.'  But  this  does  not  agree 
so  well  with  the  clause  "which  is  of  the  law."  2.  It  may  mean  that 
excellence  which  arises  from  obedience  to  the  law,  and  which  is  opposed 
to  that  which  is  obtained  by  faith.  The  righteousness  which  is  of  the 
law  is,  then,  that  which  consists  in  legal  obedience.  3.  It  may  have  its 
appropriate  and  familiar  sense,  the  state  of  one  who  is  free  as  to  the  de- 
mands of  justice  or  law.  In  the  former  sense  it  means  that  which  actu- 
ally answers  those  demands,  in  the  latter  it  expresses  the  condition  of 
one  who  is  just,  as  in  Isa.  5 :  23,  "  Who  take  the  righteousness  of  the 
righteous  from  him."  In  this  view  the  phrase  "  righteousness  which  is 
of  the  law,"  or  rather  the  words  thus  translated,  mean  the  justification, 
or  state  of  justification^  which  arises  from  the  law.  This,  then,  would 
be  opposed  to  that  which  arises  from  faith.  It  is  evident  that  this  word 
was  of  such  large  import,  as  used  by  the  apostle,  that  sometimes  one  and 
sometimes  another  of  its  phases  was  in  his  mind,  and  that  these  are 
changed  repeatedly  in  the  same  passage.  Thus,  in  the  passage  before 
us,  it  is  easy  to  understand  the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  and 
righteousness  which  is  by  faith,  as  meaning  the  justifying  excellence  or 
merit  which  is  obtained  in  the  one  instance  from  the  law,  and  in  the 
other  by  faith.  But  this  does  not  so  well  answer  in  the  immediately  suc- 
ceeding verse,  "  The  righteousness  which  is  by  faith  speaketh  in  this 
wise;"  where  the  meaning  would  seem  to  be,  the  method  of  justifica- 
tion by  faith  says  or  demands  simply  cordial  belief  and  open  profession. 
The  passage  quoted  by  the  apostle  is  Lev.  18  :  5,  "  The  man  that  doeth 
those  things  shall  live  by  them."  The  language  of  Moses  is  an  accurate 
description  of  the  legal  method  of  justification.  The  man  who  did  all 
that  was  required  by  the  Mosaic  institutions  would,  on  the  ground  of  his 
obedience,  be  rewarded  with  all  the  blessings  which  that  economy  pro- 
mised. And  the  man  who  should  do  all  that  the  law  of  God,  by  which 
he  is  to  be  ultimately  tried,  demands,  would  live  on  the  ground  of  that 
obedience.     It  is  plain  that  the  word  live  is  used,  in  its  familiar  biblical 


250  ROMANS  10:  1—10. 

sense,  to  denote  a  happy  existence.  '  He  shall  be  happy,  and  happy  in 
God.  He  shall  have  that  life  which  consists  in  intercourse  with  him 
who  is  our  life.' 

(6,  7)  But  the  righteousness  which  is  of  faith  speaketh  on  this  wise^ 
Say  not,  &c.  On  the  import  of  the  phrase  "  the  righteousness  which  is 
of  faith,"  see  the  preceding  verse.  It  is  clearly  implied  in  that  verse 
that  the  attainment  of  justification,  by  a  method  which  prescribed  per- 
fect obedience,  is  for  sinful  men  impossible.  It  is  the  object  of  this  and 
the  succeeding  verses  to  declare  that  the  gospel  requires  no  such  impos- 
sibilities ;  it  neither  requires  us  to  scale  the  heavens,  nor  to  fathom  the 
great  abyss  ;  it  demands  only  cordial  faith  and  open  profession.  In  ex- 
pressing these  ideas  the  apostle  skilfully  avails  himself  of  the  language 
of  Moses,  Deut.  30:  10 — 14.  It  is  clear  that  the  expressions  used  by 
the  ancient  lawgiver  were  a  familiar  mode  of  saying  that  a  thing  could 
not  be  done.  The  passage  referred  to  is  the  following,  "  For  this  com- 
mand which  I  command  thee  this  day,  it  is  not  hidden  from  thee,  neither 
is  it  far  off.  It  is  not  in  heaven,  that  thou  shouldest  say,  who  shall  go 
up  for  us  to  heaven,  and  bring  it  unto  us,  that  we  may  hear  it,  and  do  it? 
Neither  is  it  beyond  the  sea,  that  thou  should st  say,  who  shall  go  over 
the  sea  for  us,  and  bring  it  unto  us,  that  we  may  hear  it,  and  do  if?  But 
the  word  is  very  nigh  unto  thee,  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart,  that 
thou  mayest  do  it."  The  obvious  import  of  this  passage  is,  that  the 
knowledge  of  the  will  of  God  had  been  made  perfectly  accessible,  no 
one  was  required  to  do  what  was  impossible  ;  neither  to  ascend  to  hea- 
ven, nor  to  pass  the  boundless  sea,  in  order  to  attain  it;  it  was  neither 
hidden,  nor  afar  off,  but  obvious  and  at  hand.  Without  directly  citing 
this  passage,  Paul  uses  nearly  the  same  language  to  express  the  same 
idea.  The  expressions  here  used  seem  to  have  become  proverbial  among 
the  Jews.  To  be  "  high,"  or  "  afar  off,"  was  to  be  unattainable  :  Ps. 
139  :  6.  Prov.  24  :  7,  "  To  ascend  to  heaven,"  or  "  to  go  down  to  hell," 
was  to  do  what  was  impossible,  Amos  9  :  2.  Ps.  139 :  8,  9.  As  the  sea 
was  to  the  ancients  impassable,  it  is  easy  to  understand  how  the  ques- 
tion, 'Who  can  pass  over  the  sea?'  was  tantamount  to,  'Who  can 
ascend  up  into  heaven  ?'  Among  the  later  Jews  the  same  mode  of 
expressions  not  unfrequently  occur. 

Paul  connects  each  of  the  questions,  virtually  borrowed  from  the  Old 
Testament,  with  a  comment  designed  to  apply  them  more  directly  to  the 
point  which  he  had  in  view.  Say  not,  Who  shall  ascend  into  heaven  ?  that 
is,  to  bring  Christ  down,  &c.  The  words  that  is  may  be  taken  as  equi- 
valent to  namely  or  to  wit,  and  the  apostle's  comment  be  connected,  as  an 
explanatory  substitute,  with  the  questions,  '  Say  not.  Who  shall  ascend 
into  heaven?  to  wit,  to  bring  Christ  down ;  or.  Who  shall  descend  into 
the  deep  ?  to  bring  him  up  again  from  the  dead.'  The  sense  would  then 
be,  '  The  plan  of  salvation  by  faith  does  not  require  us  to  do  what  cannot 
be  done,  and  which  is  now  unnecessary  ;  it  does  not  require  us  to  provide 
a  Saviour,  to  bring  him  from  heaven,  or  to  raise  him  from  the  dead  ;  a 


ROMANS  10:  1—10.  251' 

Saviour  has  been  provided,  and  we  are  now  only  required  to  believe,'  &c 
The  whole  passage  is  evidently  rhetorical  and  ornate.  The  simple  and 
obvious  design  is,  as  stated  above,  to  declare  that  the  gospel  method  of 
salvation  demanded  nothing  but  faith  and  confession. 

(8)  But  what  saith  it  ?  The  word  is  nigh  Ihee^  even  in  thy  mouth 
and  in  thy  heart,  that  is,  the  word  of  faith  which  we  preach.  As  the 
expressions  to  be  hidden,  to  be  far  off,  imply  that  the  thing  to  which 
they  refer  is  inaccessible  or  difficult,  so  to  be  near,  to  be  in  the  mouth 
and  in  the  heart,  mean  to  be  accessible,  easy,  and  familiar.  They  are 
frequently  thus  used  ;  see  Josh.  1:8,  "  This  law  shall  not  depart  out  of 
thy  mouth,"  i.  e.  it  shall  be  constantly  familiar  to  thee;  Ex.  13:  9, 
♦'  That  the  law  may  be  in  thy  mouth  ;"  Ps.  37  :  31.  40  :  8.  The  mean- 
ing of  this  passage  then  is,  '  The  gospel,  instead  of  directing  us  to  ascend 
into  heaven  or  to  go  down  to  the  abyss,  tells  us  the  thing  required  is 
simple  and  easy.  Believe  with  thy  heart,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved.'  The 
word  is  nigh  thee,  i.  e.  the  doctrine  or  truth  contemplated,  and  by  impli- 
cation, what  that  doctrine  demands.  Paul,  therefore,  represents  the  gos- 
pel as  speaking  of  itself.     The  method  of  justification  by  faith  says, 

*  The  word  is  near  thee,  in  thy  mouth,  i.  e.  the  word  or  doctrine  of  faith 
is  thus  easy  and  familiar.'  This  is  Paul's  own  explanation.  The  ex- 
pression word  of  faith  may  mean  the  word  or  doctrine  concerning  faith, 
or  the  word  to  which  faith  is  due,  which  should  be  believed.  In  either 
case  it  is  the  gospel  or  doctrine  of  justification  which  is  here  intended. 

(9)  That  if  thou  shalt  confess  with  thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jesus,  &c. 
The  connexion  of  this  verse  with  the  preceding  may  be  explained  by 
making  the  last  clause  of  v.  8  a  parenthesis,  and  connecting  this  imme- 
diately with  the  first  clause.  '  It  says,  the  word  is  nigh  thee  ;  it  says, 
that  if  thou  shalt  confess  and  believe,  thou  shalt  be  saved.'  According 
to  this  view,  this  verse  is  still  a  part  of  what  the  gospel  is  represented  as 
saying.  Perhaps,  however,  it  is  better  to  consider  this  verse  as  Paul's 
own  language,  and  an  explanation  of  the  "  word  of  faith"  just  spoken  of. 

*  The  thing  is  near  and  easy,  to  wit,  the  word  of  faith  which  we  preach, 
that  if  thou  shalt  confess,'  &c.  The  two  requisites  for  salvation  men- 
tioned in  this  verse  are  confession  and  faith.  They  are  "mentioned  in 
their  natural  order ;  as  confession  is  the  fruit  and  external  evidence  of 
faith.  So  in  2  Pet.  1  :  10,  calling  is  placed  before  election,  because  the 
former  is  the  evidence  of  the  latter.  The  thing  to  be  confessed  is  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  Lord.  That  is,  we  must  openly  recognise  his  authority 
to  the  full  extent  in  which  he  is  Lord  ;  acknowledge  that  he  is  exalted 
above  all  principality  and  powers,  that  angels  are  made  subject  to  him, 
that  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  is  committed  unto  him  ;  and  of  course 
that  he  is  our  Lord.  This  confession,  therefore,  includes  in  it  an  ac- 
knowledgment of  Christ's  universal  sovereignty,  and  a  sincere  recogni- 
tion of  his  authority  over  us.  The  necessity  of  a  public  confession  of 
Christ  unto  salvation  is  frequently  asserted  in  the  Scriptures.  jNIatt.  10 : 
32,  "  Whosoever,  therefore,  shall  confess  me  before  men,  him  will  I  con 


252  ROMANS  10:  1—10. 

fess  also  before  my  Father  which  is  iti  heaven."  Luke  12:  8.  1  John 
4:  15,  "Whosoever  shall  confess  that  Jesus  is  the  son  of  God,  God 
dwelleth  in  him  and  he  in  God." 

The  second  requisite  is  faith.  The  truth  to  be  believed  is,  that  God 
hath  raised  Christ  from  the  dead.  That  is,  we  must  believe  that  by  the 
resurrection  of  Christ,  God  has  publicly  acknowledged  him  to  be  all  that 
he  claimed  to  be,  and  has  publicly  accepted  of  all  that  he  came  to  per- 
form. See  Rom.  4 :  25.  1 :  4.  Acts  13 :  34.  1  Pet.  1  :  3—5.  1  Cor.  15  : 
14,  &c.  Acts  17:  31.  /n  thy  heart.  Faith  is  very  far  from  being  a 
merely  speculative  exercise.  When  moral  or  religious  truth  is  its  object, 
it  is  always  attended  by  the  exercise  of  the  affections.  The  words  in  thy 
heart  are  here  opposed  to  the  expression  with  thy  mouth  in  the  previous 
clause.     Confession  must  be  open;  faith  must  be  internal  and  sincere. 

(10)  For  with  the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness,  and  with 
the  mouth  confession  is  made  unto  salvation.  This  is  the  reason  why 
faith  and  confession  are  alone  necessary  unto  salvation ;  because  he  who 
believes  with  the  heart  is  justified,  and  he  who  openly  confesses  Christ 
shall  be  saved.  That  is,  such  is  the  doctrine  of  Scripture,  as  the  apostle 
proves  in  the  subsequent  verse.  Here,  as  in  the  passage  referred  to 
above,  in  which  confession  is  connected  with  salvation,  it  is  evident  that 
it  must  be  not  only  open  but  sincere.  It  is  not  a  mere  saying.  Lord, 
Lord,  but  a  cordial  acknowledgment  of  him,  before  men,  as  our  Lord 
and  Redeemer.  Unto  righteousness,  or  justification,  i.  e.  so  that  we  may 
be  justified.  And  unto  salvation  is  equivalent  to  saying  '  that  we  may  be 
saved.'  The  preposition  rendered  wn/o  expressing  here  the  effect  or  result. 
Acts  10  :  4.  Heb.  6:8.  By  faith  we  secure  an  interest  in  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ,  and  by  confessing  him  before  men,  we  secure  the  perform- 
ance of  his  promise  that  he  will  confess  us  before  the  angels  of  God. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  Zeal,  to  be  either  acceptable  to  God  or  useful  to  men,  must  not  only 
be  right  as  to  its  ultimate,  but  also  as  to  its  immediate  objects.  It  must 
not  only  be  about  God,  but  about  the  things  which  are  well  pleasing  in 
his  sight.  The  Pharisees,  and  other  early  Jewish  persecutors  of  Chris- 
tians, really  thought  they  were  doing  God  service  when  they  were  so  ex- 
ceedingly zealous  for  the  traditions  of  their  fathers.  The  moral  character 
of  their  zeal  and  its  effects  were  determined  by  the  immediate  objects 
towards  which  it  was  directed,  v.  2. 

2.  The  doctrine  of  justification,  or  method  of  securing  the  pardon  of 
sin  and  acceptance  with  God,  is  the  cardinal  doctrine  in  the  religion  of 
sinners.  The  main  point  is,  whether  the  ground  of  pardon  and  accept- 
ance be  in  ourselves  or  in  another,  whether  the  righteousness  on  which 
we  depend  be  of  ourselves  or  of  God,  v.  3. 

3.  Ignorance  of  the  divine  character  and  requirements  is  at  the  founda 
tion  of  all  ill-directed  efforts  for  the  attainment  of  salvation,  and  of  all 
false  hopes  of  heaven,  v.  3. 


ROMANS  10:  1—10.  253 

4.  The  first  and  immediate  duty  of  the  sinner  is  to  submit  to  the  right- 
eousness of  God  ;  to  renounce  all  dependence  on  his  own  merit,  and  cor- 
dially to  embrace  the  offers  of  reconciliation  proposed  in  the  gospel, 
V.  3. 

5.  Unbelief,  or  the  refusal  to  submit  to  God's  plan  of  salvation,  is  the 
immediate  ground  of  the  condemnation  or  rejection  of  those  who  perish 
under  the  sound  of  the  gospel,  v.  3. 

6.  Christ  is  every  thing  in  the  religion  of  the  true  believer.  He  ful- 
fils, and  by  fulfilling  abolishes,  the  law,  by  whose  demands  the  sinner  was 
weighed  down  in  despair  ;  and  his  merit  secures  the  justification  of  every 
one  that  confides  in  him,  v.  4. 

7.  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law,  whether  moral  or  ceremonial.  To  biir 
both,  as  a  schoolmaster,  lead.  In  him  all  their  demands  are  satisfied,  9iiJ 
all  their  types  and  shadows  are  answered,  v.  4. 

8.  The  legal  method  of  justification  is,  for  sinners,  as  impracticable  as 
climbing  up  into  heaven  or  going  down  into  the  abyss,  vs.  5 — 7. 

9.  The  demands  of  the  gospel  are  both  simple  and  intelligible.  The 
sincere  acceptance  of  the  proffered  righteousness  of  God  and  the  open 
acknowledgment  of  Jesus  Christ  as  Lord,  vs.  6 — 9. 

10.  The  public  profession  of  religion  or  confession  of  Christ  is  an  in- 
dispensable duty.  That  is,  in  order  to  salvation,  we  must  not  only 
secretly  believe,  but  also  openly  acknowledge  that  Jesus  is  our  prophet, 
priest,  and  king.  Though  faith  and  confession  are  both  necessary,  they 
are  not  necessary  on  the  same  grounds,  nor  to  the  same  degree.  The 
former  is  necessary  as  a  means  to  an  end,  as  without  faith  we  can  have 
no  part  in  the  justifying  righteousness  of  Christ ;  the  latter  as  a  duty,  the 
performance  of  which  circumstances  may  render  impracticable.  In  like 
manner  Christ  declares  baptism,  as  the  appointed  means  of  confession, 
to  be  necessary,  Mark  16  :  16 ;  not,  however,  as  a  sine  qua  non^  but  as  a 
command,  the  obligation  of  which  providential  dispensations  may  remove, 
as  in  the  case  of  the  thief  on  the  cross,  v.  9. 

11.  Faith  is  not  the  mere  assent  of  the  mind  to  the  truth  of  certain 
propositions.  It  is  a  cordial  persuasion  of  the  truth,  founded  on  the  ex- 
perience of  its  power  or  the  spiritual  preception  of  its  nature,  and  on  the 
divine  testimony.  Faith  is,  therefore,  a  moral  exercise.  Men  believw 
with  the  heart,  in  the  ordinary  scriptural  meaning  of  that  word.  And  no 
faith,  which  does  not  proceed  from  the  heart,  is  connected  with  justifica- 
tion, V.  10. 

REMARKS. 

1.  If  we  really  desire  the  salvation  of  men,  we  shall  pray  for  it,  v.  1. 

2.  No  practical  mistake  is  more  common  or  more  dangerous  than  to 
suppose  that  all  zeal  about  God  and  religion  is  necessarily  a  godly  zeal. 
Some  of  the  very  worst  forms  of  human  character  have  been  exhibited 
by  men  zealous  for  God  and  his  service ;  as,  for  example,  the  persecutors 
ooth  in  the  Jewish  and  Christian  churches.     Zeal  should  be  according  to 

Y 


254  ROMANS  10:  11—21. 

knowledge,  i.e.  directed  towards  proper  objects.  Its  true  character  is 
easily  ascertained  by  noticing  its  effects,  whether  it  produces  self-right- 
eousness or  hunaility,  censoriousness  or  charity;  whether  it  leads  to  self- 
denial  or  to  self-gratulation  and  praise;  and  whether  it  manifests  itself 
in  prayer  and  effort,  or  in  loud  talking  and  boasting,  v.  2. 

3.  We  should  be  very  careful  what  doctrines  we  hold  and  teach  on  the 
subject  of  justification.  He  who  is  wrong  here  ruins  his  own  soul ;  and 
if  he  teaches  any  other  than  the  scriptural  method  of  justification,  he 
ruins  the  souls  of  others,  v.  3. 

4.  A  sinner  is  never  safe,  do  what  else  he  may,  until  he  has  submitted 
to  God's  method  of  justification. 

5.  As  every  thing  in  the  Bible  leads  us  to  Christ,  we  should  suspect 
every  doctrine,  system,  or  theory  which  has  a  contrary  tendency.  That 
view  of  religion  cannot  be  correct  which  does  not  make  Christ  the  most 
prominent  object,  v.  4. 

6.  How  obvious  and  infatuated  is  the  folly  of  the  multitude  in  every 
age,  country,  and  church,  who,  in  one  form  or  another,  are  endeavouring 
to  work  out  a  righteousness  of  their  own,  instead  of  submitting  to  the 
righteousness  of  God.  They  are  endeavouring  to  climb  up  to  heaven, 
or  to  descend  into  the  abyss,  vs.  5 — 7. 

7.  The  conduct  of  unbelievers  is  perfectly  inexcusable,  who  reject  the 
simple,  easy,  and  gracious  offers  of  the  gospel,  which  requires  only  faith 
and  confession,  vs.  8,  9. 

8.  Those  who  are  ashamed  or  afraid  to  acknowledge  Christ  before 
men,  cannot  expect  to  be  saved.  The  want  of  courage  to  confess  is 
decisive  evidence  of  the  want  of  heart  to  believe,  vs.  9,  10. 

CHAP.  10 :  11—21. 

**For  the  scripture  saith.  Whosoever  believeth  on  him  shall  not  be 
ashamed.  ^^For  there  is  no  difference  between  the  Jew  and  the  Greek  : 
for  the  same  Lord  over  all  is  rich  unto  all  that  call  upon  him.  ^^For 
whosoever  shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved..  ^*How 
then  shall  they  call  on  him  in  whom  they  have  not  believed  1  and  how 
shall  they  believe  in  him  of  whom  thoy  have  not  heard  ?  and  how  shall 
they  hear  without  a  preacher?  *^And  how  shall  they  preach,  except 
they  be  sent?  as  it  is  written.  How  beautiful  are  the  feet  of  them  that 
preach  the  gospel  of  peace,  and  bring  glad  tidings  of  good  things ! 
*^But  they  have  not  all  obeyed  the  gospel.  For  Esaias  saith.  Lord,  who 
hath  believed  our  report  1  ^^So  then  faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hear- 
ing by  the  word  of  God.  ^^Bxxi  I  say.  Have  they  not  heard  ?  Yes, 
verily,  their  sound  went  into  all  the  earth,  and  their  words  unto  the  ends 
of  the  world.  ^^But  I  say.  Did  not  Israel  know  ?  First  Moses  saith,  I 
will  provoke  you  to  jealousy  by  them  that  are  no  people,  and  by  a  foolish 
nation  I  will  anger  you.  ^^Byxi  Esaias  is  very  bold,  and  saith,  I  was  * 
found  of  them  that  sought  me  not;  I  was  made  manifest  unto  them  that 


ROMANS  10:  11—21.  255 

asked  not  after  me.    ^^But  to  Israel  he  saith,  All  day  long  I  have  stretched 
forth  my  hands  unto  a  disobedient  and  gainsaying  people. 

ANALYSIS. 

The  object  of  the  apostle,  in  the  preceding  comparison  and  contrast  of 
the  two  methods  of  justification,  was  to  show  that  the  gospel  method 
was  from  its  nature  adapted  to  all  men ;  and  that,  if  suited  to  all,  it 
should  be  preached  to  all.  In  v.  11  the  quotation  from  the  Old  Testa- 
ment proves  two  points.  1.  That  faith  is  the  condition  of  acceptance, 
and,  2.  That  it  matters  not  whether  the  individual  be  a  Jew  or  Gentile, 
if  he  only  believes.  For  there  is  really  no  difference,  as  to  that  point, 
between  the  two  classes  ;  God  is  equally  gracious  to  both,  as  is  proved 
by  the  express  declarations  of  Scripture,  vs.  12,  13.  If  then  the  method 
of  salvation  be  thus  adapted  to  all,  and  God  is  equally  the  God  of  the 
Gentiles  and  of  the  Jews,  then,  to  accomplish  his  purpose,  the  gospel 
must  be  preached  to  all  men,  because  faith  cometh  by  hearing,  vs.  14 — 17. 
Both  the  fact  of  the  extension  of  the  gospel  to  the  Gentiles,  and  the  dis- 
obedience of  the  great  part  of  the  Jews,  were  clearly  predicted  in  the 
writings  of  the  Old  Testament,  vs.  18 — 21. 

COMMENTARY. 

(11)  For  the  Scripture  saith,  Whosoever  helievdh  on  him  shall  not 
be  ashamed.  This  passage  is  cited  in  support  of  the  doctrine  just  taught, 
that  faith  alone  was  necessary  to  salvation.  There  are  clearly  two  points 
established  by  the  quotation ;  the  first  is,  the  universal  applicability  of 
this  method  of  salvation  ;  whosoever,  whether  Jew  or  Gentile,  believes, 
&c. ;  and  the  second  is,  that  it  is  faith  which  is  the  means  of  securing 
the  divine  favour;  whosoever  believes  on  him  shall  not  be  ashamed. 
The  passage,  therefore,  is  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  apostle's  object ; 
which  was  not  merely  to  exhibit  the  true  nature  of  the  plan  of  redemp- 
tion, but  mainly  to  show  the  propriety  of  its  extension  to  the  Gentiles. 
The  passage  quoted  is  Isa.  28  :  16,  referred  to  at  the  close  of  the  pre- 
ceding chapter. 

(12)  For  there  is  no  difference  between  the  Jew  and  the  Greek,  &c. 
This  verse  is  evidently  connected  logically  with  the  whosoever  of  v.  12, 
'  Whosoever  believes  shall  be  saved,  for  there  is  no  difference  between 
the  Jew  and  Gentile.'  That  is,  there  is  no  difference  in  their  relation  to 
the  law  or  to  God.  They  are  alike  sinners,  and  are  to  be  judged  by  pre- 
cisely the  same  principles  (see  ch.  3  :  22) ;  and  consequently,  if  saved 
at  all,  are  to  be  saved  in  precisely  the  same  way.  For  the  same  Lord 
over  all  is  rich  unto  all  who  call  upon  him.  This  is  the  reason  why 
there  is  no  difference  between  the  two  classes.  Their  relation  to  God  is 
the  same.  They  are  equally  his  creatures,  and  his  mercy  towards  them 
is  the  same.  It  is  doubtful  whether  this  clause  is  to  be  understood  of 
Christ  or  of  God.  If  the  latter,  the  general  meaning  is  what  has  just 
been  stated.    If  the  former,  then  the  design  is  to  declare  that  the  same 


256  ROMANS  10:  11—21. 

Saviour  is  ready  and  able  to  save  all.  In  favour  of  this  latter,  which  is 
perhaps  the  most  common  view  of  the  passage,  it  may  be  urged  that 
Christ  is  the  person  referred  to  in  the  preceding  verse;  and,  secondly, 
that  he  is  so  commonly  called  Lord  in  the  New  Testament.  But,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  Lord  in  the  next  verse  refers  to  God  ;  and,  secondly,  we 
have  the  same  sentiment,  in  the  same  general  connexion,  in  ch.  3  :  29, 
30,  "  Is  he  the  God  of  the  Jews  only  ]"  &c.  "  It  is  the  same  God  which 
shall  justify  the  circumcision  by  faith,  and  the  uncircumcision  through 
faith."  7%e  same  Lord  over  all,  in  this  connexion,  means  '  one  and 
the  same  Lord  is  over  all.'  All  are  equally  under  his  dominion,  and 
may,  therefore,  equally  hope  in  his  mercy.  The  words  is  rich  may  be 
either  a  concise  expression  for  is  rich  in  mercy,  or  they  may  mean  is 
abundant  in  resources.  He  is  sufficiently  rich  to  supply  the  wants  of 
all;  whosoever,  therefore,  believes  in  him  shall  be  saved. 

U7ito  all  who  call  upon  him,  i.  e.  who  invoke  him  or  worship  him,  agree- 
ably to  the  frequent  use  of  the  phrase  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament, 
Gen.  4  :  26.  12  :  8.  Isa.  64  :  7.  Acts  2  :  21.  9  :  14,  &c.  This  religious 
invocation  of  God  implied,  of  course,  the  exercise  of  faith  in  him;  and, 
therefore,  it  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  whether  it  is  said,  '  Whosoever 
believes,'  or  '  Whosoever  calls  on  the  name  of  the  Lord,'  shall  be  saved. 
This  being  the  case,  the  passage  quoted  from  Joel,  in  the  next  verse,  is 
equivalent  to  that  cited  from  Isaiah  in  v.  11.  The  meaning,  then,  of 
this  verse  is,  'That  God  has  proposed  the  same  terms  of  salvation  to  all 
men,  Jews  and  Gentiles,  because  he  is  equally  the  God  of  both,  and  his 
mercy  is  free  and  sufficient  for  all.' 

(13)  For  tvhosoever  shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be 
saved.  As  this  verse  is  not  introduced  by  the  usual  form  of  quotation 
from  the  Old  Testament,  as  it  is  written,  or  as  the  scripture,  or  the  pro- 
phet saith ;  it  is  not  absolutely  necessary  to  consider  it  as  a  direct  cita- 
tion, intended  as  an  argument  from  Scripture  (compare  v.  11).  Yet,  as 
the  passage  is  in  itself  so  pertinent,  it  is  probable  that  the  apostle  in- 
tended to  confirm  his  declaration  that  the  mercy  of  God  should  be  ex- 
tended to  every  one  Avho  called  upon  him,  by  showing  that  the  ancient 
prophets  had  held  the  same  language.  The  prophet  Joel,  after  predict- 
ing the  dreadful  calamities  which  were  about  to  come  upon  the  people, 
foretold,  in  the  usual  manner  of  the  ancient  messengers  of  God,  that  sub- 
sequent to  those  judgments  should  come  a  time  of  great  and  general 
blessedness.  This  happy  period  was  ever  characterized  as  one  in  which 
true  religion  should  prevail,  and  the  stream  of  divine  truth  and  love,  no 
longer  confined  to  the  narrow  channel  of  the  Jewish  people,  should  over- 
flow all  nations.  Thus  Joel  says,  "  It  shall  come  to  pass  afterward, 
that  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh,"  &c.,  "  and  whosoever 
shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  delivered,"  Joel  2 :  28,  32. 
Whosoever,  therefore,  betakes  himself  to  God  as  his  refuge,  and  calls 
upon  him  in  the  exercise  of  faith  as  his  God,  shall  be  saved,  whether 
Gentile  or  Jew  (see  1  Cor.  1 :  2).    This  is  Paul's  doctrine,  and  the  doc- 


ROMANS  10:  11—21.  257 

trine,  with  one  accord,  of  all  the  holy  men  who  spake  of  old,  as  the  Spi- 
rit gave  them  utterance.  This  being  the  case,  how  utterly  preposterous 
and  wicked  the  attempt  to  confine  the  offers  of  salvation  to  the  Jewish 
people,  or  to  question  the  necessity  of  the  extension  of  the  gospel  through 
the  whole  world.  Thus  naturally  and  beautifully  does  the  apostle  pass 
from  the  nature  of  the  plan  of  mercy,  and  its  suitableness  to  all  men,  to 
the  subject  principally  in  view,  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  or  the  duty 
of  preaching  the  gospel  to  all  people. 

(14,  15)  How  then  shall  they  call  on  him  in  whom  they  have  not  be- 
lieved ?  and  how  shall  they  believe  in  him  of  whom  they  have  not 
heard?  &c.  &c.  Paul  considered  it  as  involved  in  what  he  had  already 
said,  and  especially  in  the  predictions  of  the  ancient  prophets,  that  it  was 
the  will  of  God  that  all  men  should  call  upon  him.  This  being  the  case, 
he  argues  to  prove  that  it  was  his  will  that  the  gospel  should  be  preached 
to  all.  As  invocation  implies  faith,  as  faith  implies  knowledge,  know- 
ledge instruction,  and  instruction  an  instructor,  so  it  is  plain  that  if  God 
would  have  all  men  to  call  upon  him,  he  designed  preachers  to  be  sent 
to  all,  whose  proclamation  of  mercy  being  heard,  might  be  believed,  and 
being  believed  might  lead  men  to  call  on  him  and  be  saved.  This  is 
agreeable  to  the  prediction  of  Isaiah,  who  foretold  that  the  advent  of  the 
preachers  of  the  gospel  should  be  hailed  with  great  and  universal  joy. 
According  to  this,  which  is  the  common  and  most  natural  view  of  the 
passage,  it  is  an  argument  founded  on  the  principle  that,  if  God  wills  the 
end,  he  wills  also  the  means;  if  he  would  have  the  Gentiles  saved,  ac- 
cording to  the  predictions  of  his  prophets,  he  would  have  the  gospel 
preached  to  them. 

(15)  As  it  is  written,  How  beautiful  are  the  feet  of  them  that  preach 
the  gospel  of  peace,  and  bring  glad  tidings  of  good  things.  The  word 
here  rendered  preach  the  gospel,  is  the  same  as  that  immediately  after- 
wards translated  bring  glad  tidings.  The  word  gospel,  therefore,  must 
be  taken  in  its  original  meaning,  good  news,  the  good  news  of  peace. 
The  passage  in  Isa.  52  :  7,  which  the  apostle  faithfully,  as  to  the  mean- 
ing, follows,  has  reference  to  the  Messiah's  kingdom.  It  is  one  of  those 
numerous  prophetic  declarations  which  announce  in  general  terms  the 
coming  deliverance  of  the  church,  a  deliverance  which  embraced,  as  the 
first  stage  of  its  accomplishment,  the  restoration  from  the  Babylonish 
captivity.  This,  however,  so  far  from  being  the  blessing  principally 
intended,  derived  all  its  value  from  being  introductory  to  that  more  glo- 
rious deliverance  to  be  effected  by  the  Redeemer.  How  beautiful  the 
feet  of  course  means,  how  delightful  the  approach.  The  bearing  of  this 
passage  on  the  object  of  the  apostle  is  sufficiently  obvious.  He  had 
proved  that  the  gospel  should  be  preached  to  all  men,  and  refers  to  the 
declaration  of  the  ancient  prophet,  which  spoke  of  the  joy  with  which 
the  advent  of  the  messengers  of  mercy  should  be  hailed. 

(16)  But  they  have  not  all  obeyed  the  gospel,  for  Isaiah  saiih.  Lord, 
who  hath  believed  our  report  P    This  is  a  difficult  verse,  as  it  is  not  easy 

Y  2 


258  ROMANS  10:   11—21. 

to  see  its  connexion  with  the  apostle's  object.  It  may  be  considered  as 
virtually  a  parenthesis.  '  The  gospel  must  be  and  has  been  widely  pro- 
claimed, though  indeed  all  have  not  obeyed  it,  as  had  been  predicted  by 
Isaiah  ;  when  he  exclaimed.  Lord,  who  hath  believed  our  report"?'  The 
word  rendered  report  is  that  which  in  the  next  verse  is  rendered  hearing. 
It  properly  means  the  faculty  of  hearing,  then  something  heard,,  and 
thus  is  put  for  discourse,  doctrine,  or  instruction. 

(17)  So  then  faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of 
God,  Though  this  verse  receives  its  form  from  the  preceding,  it  is  logi- 
cally connected  with  vs.  14,  15.  The  conclusion  from  what  had  there 
been  said  is,  '  Faith  is  founded  on  instruction,  and  this  instruction  sup- 
poses a  divine  communication.'  If  men  therefore  are  to  believe,  they 
must  hear  the  me^gage  of  God  ;  and  that  such  a  message  is  delivered  of 
course  supposes  that  God  has  spoken,  and  has  spoken  what  is  to  be 
delivered,  as  his  word,  to  all  those  who  are  expected  to  believe.  It 
seems  to  be  the  apostle's  object  to  show  that  such  a  report  as  could  be 
the  ground  of  faith  could  only  proceed  on  the  basis  of  a  divine  commu- 
nication, and  therefore  as  such  a  report  was  actually  to  be  made  to  the 
Gentiles,  it  implied  that  the  divine  message,  the  word  of  God,  or  the 
gospel,  was  designed  for  them  as  well  as  for  the  Jews. 

(18)  But  I  say,  Have  they  not  heard?  Yes,  verily,  their  sound  went 
into  all  the  earth,  &c.  The  concise  and  abrupt  manner  of  argument  and 
expression  in  this  and  the  verses  which  precede  and  follow,  renders  the 
apostle's  meaning  somewhat  doubtful. 

Paul's  object  in  the  whole  context  is  to  vindicate  the  propriety  of  ex- 
tending the  gospel  call  to  all  nations.  This  he  had  beautifully  done  in 
vs.  14,  15,  by  showing  that  preaching  was  a  necessary  means  of  accom- 
plishing the  clearly  revealed  will  of  God,  that  men  of  all  nations  should 
participate  in  his  grace.  'True,  indeed,  as  had  been  foretold,  the  merci- 
ful offers  of  the  gospel  were  not  universally  accepted,  v.  16,  but  still 
faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  therefore  the  gospel  should  be  widely 
preached,  v.  17.  Well,  has  not  this  been  done  1  has  not  the  angel  of 
mercy  broke  loose  from  his  long  confinement  within  the  pale  of  the  Jew- 
ish church,  and  made  to  all  nations  the  proclamation  of  pardon  1  v.  18.' 
This  verse,  therefore,  is  to  be  considered  as  a  strong  declaration  that 
what  Paul  had  proved  ought  to  be  done,  had  in  fact  been  accomplished. 
The  middle  wall  of  partition  had  been  broken  down,  the  gospel  of  salva- 
tion, the  religion  of  God,  was  free  from  its  trammels,  the  offers  of  mercy 
were  as  wide  and  general  as  the  proclamation  of  the  heavens.  This  idea 
the  apostle  beautifully  and  appositely  expresses  in  the  sublime  language 
of  Ps.  19,  "  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God,  day  unto  day  uttereth 
speech,  there  is  no  speech  nor  language  where  their  voice  is  not  heard, 
their  line  is  gone  through  all  the  earth,  and  their  words  to  the  end  of  the 
world."  The  last  verse  contains  the  words  used  by  the  apostle.  His 
object  in  using  the  words  of  the  psalmist  was,  no  doubt,  to  convey  more 
clearly  and  afFectingly  to  the  minds  of  his  hearers  the  idea  that  the  pro- 


ROMANS  10:  11—21.  259 

clamation  of  the  gospel  was  now  as  free  from  all  national  or  ecclesiasti- 
cal restrictions,  as  the  instructions  shed  down  upon  all  people  by  the 
heavens  under  which  they  dwell.  Paul  of  course  is  not  to  be  understood 
as  quoting  the  psalmist  as  though  the  ancient  prophet  was  speaking  of 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  He  simply  uses  scriptural  language  to 
express  his  own  ideas,  as  is  done  involuntarily  almost  by  every  preacher 
in  every  sermon. 

It  will  be  perceived  that  the  apostle  says,  "  Their  sound  has  gone," 
&c. ;  whereas  in  the  19th  psalm  it  is,  "  Their  line  is  gone."  Paul  fol- 
lows the  Septuagint,  which,  instead  of  giving  the  literal  sense  of  the 
Hebrew  word,  gives  correctly  its  figurative  meaning.  The  word  signi- 
fies a  line,  then  a  musical  chord,  and  then,  metonymically,  sound. 

(19)  But  I  say,  Did  not  Israel  know?  First  Moses  saith,  I  wih 
provoke  you  to  jealousy,  &c.  Another  passage  difficult  from  its  concise- 
ness. The  difficulty  is  to  ascertain  what  the  question  refers  to.  Did  not 
Israel  know  what?  The  gospel]  or  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles  and 
their  own  rejection  1  The  latter  seems,  for  two  reasons,  the  decidedly 
preferable  interpretation.  1.  The  question  is  most  naturally  understood 
as  referring  to  the  main  subject  under  discussion,  which  is,  as  frequently 
remarked,  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles  and  rejection  of  the  Jews.  2.  The 
question  is  explained  by  the  quotations  which  follow.  '  Does  not  Israel 
know  what  Moses  and  Isaiah  so  plainly  teach  V  viz.  that  a  people  who 
were  no  people  should  be  preferred  to  Israel ;  while  the  latter  were  to  be 
regarded  as  disobedient  and  gainsaying. 

First  Moses  says,  I  will  provoke  you  to  jealousy  by  them  that  are  no 
people,  &c.  The  word  Jirst  seems  evidently  to  be  used  in  reference  to 
Isaiah,  who  is  quoted  afterward.  'First  Moses,  and  then  Isaiah,  says,' 
&c.  The  passage  quoted  from  Moses  is  Deut.  32:  21.  In  that  chapter 
the  sacred  writer  recounts  the  mercies  of  God,  and  the  ingratitude  and 
rebellion  of  the  people.  In  v.  21  he  warns  them  that,  as  they  had  pro- 
voked him  to  jealousy  by  that  which  is  not  God,  he  would  provoke  them 
to  jealousy  by  them  that  are  no  people.  That  is,  as  they  forsook  him 
and  made  choice  of  another  God,  so  he  would  reject  them  and  make 
choice  of  another  people.  The  passage,  therefore,  plainly  enough  inti- 
mates that  the  Jews  were  in  no  such  sense  the  people  of  God  as  to  inter- 
fere with  their  being  cast  off  and  others  called. 

(20,  21)  But  Esaias  is  very  hold,  and  saith,  &c.  That  is,  according 
to  a  very  common  Hebrew  construction,  in  which  one  verb  qualifies  an- 
other adverbially,  saiih  very  plainly,  or  openly.  Plain  as  the  passage 
in  Deuteronomy  is,  it  is  not  so  clear  and  pointed  as  that  now  referred  to, 
Isa.  65:  1,  2. 

Paul  follows  the  Septuagint  version  of  the  passage,  merely  transpos- 
ing the  clauses.  The  sense  is  accurately  expressed.  'I  am  sought  of 
them  that  asked  not  for  me,  I  am  found  of  them  that  sought  me  not,'  is 
the  literal  version  of  the  Hebrew,  as  given  in  our  translation.  The  apos- 
tle g^uotes  and  applies  the  passage  in  the  sense  in  which  it  is  to  be  inter- 


260  ROMANS  10:  11—21. 

preted  in  the  ancient  prophet.  In  the  first  verse  of  that  chapter  Isaiah 
says,  that  God  will  manifest  himself  to  those  *'  who  were  not  called  by 
his  name ;"  and  in  the  second  he  gives  the  immediate  reason  of  this 
turning  unto  the  Gentiles,  "  I  have  stretched  out  my  hand  all  the  day  to 
a  rebellious  people."  This  quotation,  therefore,  confirms  both  the  great 
doctrines  taught  in  this  chapter ;  the  Jews  were  no  longer  the  exclusive 
or  peculiar  people  of  God,  and  the  blessings  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom 
were  thrown  wide  open  to  all  mankind.  With  regard  to  Israel  the  lan- 
guage of  God  is  peculiarly  strong  and  tender.  All  day  long  I  have 
stretched  forth  my  hands.  The  stretching  forth  the  hands  is  the  ges- 
ture of  invitation,  and  even  supplication.  God  has  extended  wide  his 
arms,  and  urged  men  frequently  and  long  to  return  to  his  love ;  and  it  is 
only  those  who  refuse  that  he  finally  rejects. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  Christianity  is,  from  its  nature,  adapted  to  be  a  universal  religion 
There  is  nothing,  as  was  the  case  with  Judaism,  Avhich  binds  it  to  a  par- 
ticular location  or  confines  it  to  a  particular  people.  All  its  duties  may 
be  performed,  and  all  its  blessings  enjoyed,  in  every  part  of  the  world, 
and  by  every  nation  under  heaven,  vs.  11 — 13. 

2.  The  relation  of  men  to  God,  and  his  to  them,  is  not  determined  by 
any  national  or  ecclesiastical  connexion.  He  deals  with  all,  on  the  same 
general  principles,  and  is  ready  to  save  all  who  call  upon  him,  v.  12. 

3.  Whosoever  will,  may  take  of  the  water  of  life.  The  essential 
conditions  of  salvation  have  in  every  age  been  the  same.  Even  under 
the  Old  Testament  dispensation,  God  accepted  all  who  sincerely  invoked 
his  name,  v.  13. 

4.  The  preaching  of  the  gospel  is  the  great  means  of  salvation,  and  it 
is  the  will  of  God  that  it  should  be  extended  to  all  people,  vs.  14,  15. 

5.  As  invocation  implies  faith,  and  faith  requires  knowledge,  and 
knowledge  instruction,  and  instruction  teachers,  and  teachers  a  mission, 
it  is  evident  not  only  that  God  wills  that  teachers  should  be  sent  to  all 
those  whom  he  is  willing  to  save,  when  they  call  upon  him,  but  that  all 
parts  of  this  divinely  connected  chain  of  causes  and  effects  are  necessary 
to  the  end  proposed,  viz.  the  salvation  of  men.  It  is,  therefore,  as 
incumbent  on  those  who  have  the  power,  to  send  the  gospel  abroad,  as  it 
is  on  those  to  whom  it  is  sent,  to  receive  it,  vs.  14,  15. 

6.  As  the  rudiments  of  the  tree  are  in  the  seed,  so  all  the  elements  of 
the  New  Testament  doctrines  are  in  the  Old.  The  Christian  dispensa- 
tion is  the  explanation,  fulfilment,  and  development  of  the  Jewish,  vs. 
11,  13,  15. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Christians  should  breathe  the  spirit  of  a  universal  religion.  A  reli- 
gion  which  regards  all  men  as  brethren ;  which  looks  on  God,  not  as  the 
God  of  this  nation,  or  of  that  church,  but  as  the  God  and  father  of  all ; 


ROMANS  10:  11—21.  261 

which  proposes  to  all  the  same  conditions  of  acceptance,  and  which 
opens  equally  to  all  the  same  boundless  and  unsearchable  blessings, 
vs.  11—13. 

2.  It  must  be  very  offensive  to  God,  who  looks  on  all  men  with  equal 
favour  (except  as  moral  conduct  makes  a  difference),  to  observe  how  one 
class  of  mortals  looks  down  upon  another,  on  account  of  some  merely 
adventitious  difference  of  rank,  colour,  external  circumstances,  or  social 
or  ecclesiastical  connexions,  v.  12. 

3.  How  will  the  remembrance  of  the  simplicity  and  reasonableness  of 
the  plan  of  salvation,  and  the  readiness  of  God  to  accept  of  all  who  call 
upon  him,  overwhelm  those  who  perish  from  beneath  the  sound  of  the 
gospel !  V.  13. 

4.  It  is  the  first  and  most  pressing  duty  of  the  church  to  cause  all  men 
to  hear  the  gospel.  The  solemn  question,  implied  in  the  language  of  the 
apostle.  How  can  they  believe  without  a  preacher  1  should  sound 
day  and  night  in  the  ears  of  the  churches,  vs.  14,  15. 

5.  *'  How  can  they  preach  except  they  be  sent?"  The  failure  of  the 
whole  must  result  from  the  failure  of  any  one  of  the  parts  of  the  system 
of  means.  How  long,  alas  !  has  the  failure  been  in  the  very  first  step. 
Preachers  have  not  been  sent,  and  if  not  sent,  how  could  men  hear, 
believe,  or  call  upon  God?  vs.  14,  15. 

6.  If  "  faith  comes  by  hearing,"  how  great  is  the  value  of  a  stated 
ministry  !  How  obvious  the  duty  to  establish,  sustain,  and  attend  upon 
it!  V.  17. 

7.  The  gospel's  want  of  success,  or  the  fact  that  few  believe  our 
report,  is  only  a  reason  for  its  wider  extension.  The  more  who  hear, 
the  more  will  be  saved,  although  it  be  but  a  small  proportion  of  the 
whole,  V.  16. 

8.  How  delightful  will  be  the  time  when  literally  the  sound  of  the  gos- 
pel shall  be  as  extensively  diffused  as  the  declaration  which  the  heavens, 
in  their  circuit,  make  of  the  glory  of  God  !  v.  18. 

9.  The  blessings  of  a  covenant  relation  to  God  is  the  unalienable  right 
of  no  people  and  of  no  church,  but  can  be  preserved  only  by  fidelity  on 
the  part  of  men  to  the  covenant  itself,  v.  19. 

10.  God  is  often  found  by  those  who  apparentl}'^  are  the  farthest  from 
him,  while  he  remains  undiscovered  by  those  who  think  themselves 
always  in  his  presence,  v.  20. 

11.  God's  dealings,  even  with  reprobate  sinners,  are  full  of  tenderness 
and  compassion.  All  the  day  long  he  extends  the  arms  of  his  mercy 
even  to  the  disobedient  and  the  gainsaying.  This  will  be  felt  and 
acknowledged  at  last  by  all  who  perish,  to  the  glory  of  God's  forbear- 
ance, and  to  their  own  confusion  and  self-condemnation,  v.  21. 

12.  Communities  and  individuals  should  beware  how  they  slight  the 
mercies  of  God,  and  especially  how  they  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  the  invitations 
of  the  gospel.     For  when  the  blessings  of  a  church  relation  have  once 


262  ROMANS  11:  1—10. 

been  withdrawn  from  a  people,  they  are  long  in  being  restored.  Witness 
the  Jewish  and  the  fallen  Christian  churches.  And  when  God  ceases 
to  urge  on  the  disobedient  sinner  the  offers  of  mercy,  his  destiny  is 
sealed,  v.  12. 


CHAPTER  X. 


CONTENTS. 


This  chapter  consists  of  two  parts,  vs.  1 — 10,  and  11 — 36.  In  the 
former,  the  apostle  teaches  that  the  rejection  of  the  Jews  was  not  total. 
There  was  a  remnant,  and  perhaps  a  much  larger  remnant  than  many 
might  suppose,  excepted,  although  the  mass  of  the  nation,  agreeably  to 
the  predictions  of  the  prophets,  was  cast  off,  vs.  1 — 10.  In  the  latter, 
he  shows  that  this  rejection  is  not  final.  In  the  first  place,  the  restora- 
tion of  the  Jews  is  a  desirable  and  probable  event,  vs.  11 — 24.  In  the 
second,  it  is  one  which  God  has  determined  to  bring  to  pass,  vs.  25 — 32. 
The  chapter  closes  with  a  sublime  declaration  of  the  unsearchable  wisdom 
of  God,  manifested  in  all  his  dealings  with  men,  vs.  33 — 36.  In  the  con- 
sideration of  the  great  doctrinal  truths  taught  in  this  chapter,  Paul  inter- 
sperses many  practical  remarks,  designed  to  give  these  truths  their  pro- 
per influence  both  on  the  Jews  and  Gentiles,  especially  the  latter. 

CHAP.  11:  1—10. 

*I  say  then.  Hath  God  cast  away  his  people  1  God  forbid.  For  I  also 
am  an  Israelite,  of  the  seed  of  Abraham,  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin.  ^God 
hath  not  cast  away  his  people  which  he  foreknew.  Wot  ye  not  what 
the  Scripture  saith  of  Elias  1  how  he  maketh  intercession  to  God  against 
Israel,  saying,  ^Lord,  they  have  killed  thy  prophets,  and  digged  down 
thine  altars ;  and  I  am  left  alone,  and  they  seek  my  life.  *But  what 
saith  the  answer  of  God  unto  him  1  I  have  reserved  to  myself  seven 
thousand  men,  who  have  not  bowed  the  knee  to  the  image  of  Baal. 
^Even  so  then  at  this  present  time  also  there  is  a  remnant  according  to 
the  election  of  grace.  ^And  if  by  grace,  then  is  it  no  more  of  works  : 
otherwise  grace  is  no  more  grace.  But  if  it  be  of  works,  then  is  it  no 
more  grace  :  otherwise  work  is  no  more  work.  ^What  then  1  Israel  hath 
not  obtained  that  which  he  seeketh  for ;  but  the  election  hath  obtained  it, 
and  the  rest  were  blinded.  ^(According  as  it  is  written,  God  hath  given 
them  the  spirit  of  slumber,  eyes  that  they  should  not  see,  and  ears  thai 
.they  should  not  hear;)  unto  this  day.  ^And  David  saith,  Let  their  table 
be  made  a  snare,  and  a  trap,  and  a  stumbling-block,  and  a  recompense 
unto  them  :  *°let  their  eyes  be  darkened,  that  they  may  not  see,  and  bow 
down  their  back  alway. 


ROMANS  11:  1—10.  263 


ANALYSIS. 

The  rejection  of  the  Jews  is  not  total,  as  is  sufficiently  manifest  from 
the  example  of  the  apostle  himself,  to  say  nothing  of  others,  v.  1.  God 
had  reserved  a  remnant  faithful  to  himself,  as  was  the  case  in  the  times 
of  Elias,  vs.  2 — 4.  That  this  remnant  is  saved,  is  a  matter  entirely  of 
grace,  vs.  5,  6.  The  real  truth  of  the  case  is,  that  Israel  as  a  nation  is 
excluded  from  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  but  the  chosen  ones  are  admitted 
to  its  blessings,  v.  7.  This  rejection  of  the  greater  part  of  the  Jews,  their 
own  scriptures  had  predicted,  vs.  8 — 10. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1)  /  say  then^  hath  God  cast  away  his  people  ?  God  forhid^  &e. 
"When  we  consider  how  many  promises  are  made  to  the  Jewish  nation  as 
God's  peculiar  people;  and  how  often  it  is  said,  as  in  Ps.  94  :  14,  "  The 
Lord  will  not  cast  off  his  people,"  it  is  not  wonderful,  that  the  doctrine 
of  the  rejection  of  the  Jews,  as  taught  in  the  preceding  chapters,  appeared 
inconsistent  with  these  repeated  declarations  of  the  word  of  God.  Paul 
removes  this  difficulty  by  showing  in  what  sense  the  Jews  were  rejected, 
and  in  what  way  the  ancient  promises  are  to  be  understood.  All  the  Jews 
were  not  cast  off,  and  the  promises  did  not  contemplate  all  the  Jewish 
people,  as  shown  above  in  the  ninth  chapter,  but  only  the  true  Israel. 
There  is,  therefore,  no  inconsistency  between  the  doctrine  of  the  apos- 
tle, and  the  declarations  of  the  Old  Testament. 

There  must  be  an  emphasis  laid  upon  the  question  in  this  verse,  '  Hath 
God  entirely  cast  off  his  people  1  or  hath  God  cast  off  his  whole  people  ? 
Has  he  rejected  all?  By  no  means.  Such  is  not  my  doctrine.'  The 
question  may  also  be  understood  as  meaning,  '  Has  God  cast  off  his  true 
spiritual  people  V  But  this  is  not  so  consistent  with  the  spirit  of  the  pas- 
sage, nor  with  the  proof,  afforded  in  his  own  case  by  the  apostle,  that  the 
objection  suggested  by  the  interrogation  was  unfounded.  The  fact  that 
he,  a  Jew,  was  not  rejected,  was  evidence  rather  that  the  whole  nation 
was  not  cast  off,  than  that  the  true  Israel  were  excepted.  The  distinction 
between  the  external  and  the  spiritual  Israel  seems  to  be  first  referred  to 
in  the  next  verse.  For  I  also  am  an  Israelite,,  of  the  seed  of  Abraham, 
oi  the  tribe  of  Benjamin;  (see  Phil.  3 :  5.)  The  apostle  is  thus  parti- 
cular in  his  statement,  to  make  it  appear  that  he  was  not  a  mere  prose- 
lyte, but  a  Jew  by  birth,  and  consequently,  as  he  did  not  teach  his  own 
rejection  from  the  kingdom  of  God,  he  could  not  be  understood  as  teach- 
ing that  God  had  cast  off  all  his  ancient  people. 

(2)  God  hath  not  cast  away  his  people  which  he  foreknew.  This 
verse  admits  of  two  interpretations.  The  words  his  people  may  be  un- 
derstood, as  in  the  preceding  verse,  as  meaning  the  Jewish  nation,  and 
the  clause  which  he  foreknew  as  by  implication  assigning  the  reason  for 
the  declaration  that  God  had  not  cast  them  off.  The  clause,  according 
to  this  view,  is  little  more  than  a  repetition  of  the  sentiment  of  the  pre- 


264  ROMANS  11:  I—IO. 

ceding  verse.  *  The  entire  and  final  rejection  of  the  Jews  is  inconsist- 
ent with  the  fact  of  their  being  foreknown^  or  chosen  as  God's  peculiar 
people.'  The  second  interpretation  requires  more  stress  to  be  laid  upon 
the  words  which  he  foreknew^  as  qualifying  and  distinguishing  the  pre- 
ceding phrase,  his  people.  '  God  has  indeed  rejected  his  external  people, 
the  .Jewish  nation  as  such,  but  he  has  not  cast  away  his  people  whom  he 
foreknew.'  According  to  this  view,  his  people  means  his  elect,  his  spi- 
ritual people,  or  the  true  Israel.  This  interpretation  seems  decidedly 
preferable,  1.  Because  it  is  precisely  the  distinction  which  Paul  had 
made,  and  made  for  the  same  purpose,  in  ch.  9  :  6 — 8.  2.  Because  this 
is  apparently  Paul's  own  explanation  in  the  sequel.  The  mass  of  the 
nation  were  cast  away,  but  "  a  remnant,  according  to  the  election  of 
grace,"  were  reserved,  v.  5.  3.  Because  the  illustration  borrowed  from 
the  Old  Testament  best  suits  this  interpretation. 

Which  he  foreknew.  On  the  different  senses  of  the  word  rendered  he 
foreknew,  see  ch.  8  :  29.  Compare  Rom.  7  :  15.  2  Tim.  2  :  19.  1  Cor. 
8  :  3.  Gal.  4 :  9.  Prov.  12 :  10.  Ps.  101 :  4.  1  Thess.  5 :  12.  Matt.  7  :  23. 
The  examples,  however,  are  numerous  and  familiar,  in  which  the  word 
which  signifies  literally  to  know,  means  to  approve,  to  regard  with  affec- 
tion, to  love.  And  as  to  love  one  more  than  others  involves  the  idea  of 
selection,  so  the  verb  signifies  also  to  select,  determine  upon  ,-  see  the  com- 
pound word  here  rendered  to  foreknow,  in  Pet.  1 :  20.  Compare  1  Pet. 
1  :  2,  and  other  passages  quoted  on  Rom.  8  :  29.  It  depends  on  the  con- 
text which  sense  of  the  word  is  to  be  adopted.  The  idea  of  simple  pre- 
science obviously  does  not  suit  the  passage.  Others,  therefore,  prefer 
rendering  the  phrase  which  he  before  loved  ;  others,  which  he  had  chosen. 
This  idea  is  included  in  the  other,  and  is  the  best  suited  to  the  context. 
*  The  people  which  God  foreknew'  means,  therefore,  '  his  chosen  peo- 
ple ;'  "the  remnant  according  to  the  election  of  grace,"  i.  e.  graciously 
elected;  or,  as  explained  in  v.  7,  "  the  election,"  i.e.  those  who  are 
chosen.  The  illustration  which  the  apostle  cites  is  peculiarly  appro- 
priate. Wot  ye  not  what  the  scripture  saith  of  Elias  ?  Literally,  in 
Elias,  i.  e.  in  the  section  which  treats  of  Elias,  or  which  is  designated 
by  his  name.  Another  example  of  the  same  method  of  reference  to  Scrip- 
ture is  supposed  to  occur  in  Mark  12  :  26,  "  In  the  bush  God  spake  unto 
him,"  i.  e.  in  the  section  which  treats  of  the  burning  bush.  How  he 
maketh  intercession  to  God  against  Israel.  The  word  rendered  '  to  make 
intercession'  signifies  to  approach  to  any  one,  it  may  be  for  or  against 
another  ;  see  ch.  8  :  26. 

(3)  Lord,  they  have  killed  thy  prophets,  and  digged  down  thine  al- 
tars, and  I  am  left  alone,  &c. ;  see  1  Kings  19  :  10.  Paul  gives  the 
sense  and  nearly  the  words  of  the  original.  The  event  referred  to  was 
the  great  defection  from  the  true  religion,  and  the  murder  of  the  prophets 
of  God,  during  the  reign  of  Ahab.  The  circumstance  to  which  the  apostle 
specially  refers  is,  that  the  prophet  considered  the  defection  entire,  and 


ROMANS  11  :  1—10.  265 

himself  the  only  worshipper  of  the  true  God  left;  whereas,  in  fact,  there 
were  many  who  remained  faithful. 

(4)  But  what  saith  the  answer  of  God  unto  him  ?  I  have  reservea 
to  myself  seven  thousand  men,  &c. ;  1  Kings  19  :  18.  Answer  of  God, 
divine  response  or  oracle;  see  the  use  of  the  corresponding  verb,  Heb. 
12:  25.  11  :  7.  Matt.  2:  12.  Luke  2  :  26.  Acts  10  :  22.  It  is  prol^able 
that  the  number  seven  thousand  is  to  be  taken  for  an  indefinitely  large 
number.  Those  who  remained  faithful  to  God  are  described  as  those 
who  did  not  bow  the  knee  to  Baal.  This  was  a  Phoenician  or  Canaan- 
itish  deity,  frequently  worshipped  by  the  idolatrous  Hebrews.  The 
word  Baal  properly  means  Lord,  Ruler,  and  probably  designates  the 
same  deity  which  among  the  Chaldeans  was  called  Bel  or  Belus.  The 
name  is  almost  always  masculine.  The  Septuagint  prefix  the  feminine 
article  to  it  in  Hos.  2  :  8.  Jer.  2  :  8.  19  :  5.  Zeph.  1  :  4,  but  in  no  one  of 
these  places  is  there  any  thing  in  the  Hebrew  to  indicate  that  a  female 
deity  is  intended.  As  Paul  prefixes  the  feminine  article,  it  may  be  ex- 
plained either  by  supposing  the  word  for  iinage  to  be  understood,  as  our 
translators  have  done  and  read,  "  Who  have  not  bowed  the  knee  to  ike 
image  of  Baal ;"  or  by  taking  the  word  as  of  the  common  gender,  and 
used  as  the  name  of  both  a  male  and  female  deity.  These  false  gods 
were  either  the  sun  and  moon,  or  the  planets  Jupiter  and  Venus. 

(5)  Even  so  then,  at  this  present  time  also,  there  is  a  remnant  ac 
cording  to  the  election  of  grace.  As  in  the  days  of  Elias  there  was  a 
number  which,  although  small  in  comparison  with  the  whole  nation,  was 
still  much  greater  than  appeared  to  the  eye  of  sense ;  so  at  the  present 
time,  amidst  the  general  defection  of  the  Jews,  and  their  consequent 
rejection  as  a  people,  there  is  a  remnant,  graciously  chosen  of  God,  who 
are  not  cast  off.  The  phrase  election  of  grace,  agreeably  to  the  familiar 
scriptural  idiom,  means  gracious  election.  Gracious,  not  merely  in  the 
sense  oi  kind,  but  gratuitous,  sovereign,  not  founded  on  the  merits  of  the 
persons  chosen,  but  the  good  pleasure  of  God.  This  explanation  of  the 
term  is  given  by  the  apostle  himself  in  the  next  verse.  Remnant  accord- 
ing to  the  gracious  election  is  equivalent  to  remnant  gratuitously  chosen  ; 
see  ch.  9  :  11,  and  vs.  21,  24  of  this  chapter.  Paul,  therefore,  designs 
to  teach  that  the  rejection  of  the  Jews  was  not  total,  because  there  was  a 
number  whom  God  had  chosen,  who  remained  faithful,  and  constituted 
the  true  Israel,  or  elected  people,  to  whom  the  promises  were  made. 

(6)  And  if  by  grace,  then  it  is  no  more  of  vjorhs  ;  otherwise  grace 
is  no  more  grace.  This  verse  is  an  exegetical  comment  on  the  last 
clause  of  the  preceding  one.  If  the  election  spoken  of  be  of  grace,  it  is 
not  founded  on  works,  for  the  two  things  are  incompatible.  It  evidently 
was,  in  the  apostle's  view,  a  matter  of  importance  that  the  entire  freeness 
of  the  election  of  men  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  blessings  of  the  Messiah's 
kingdom,  should  be  steadily  kept  in  view.  He  would  not  otherwise 
have  stopped,  in  the  midst  of  his  discourse,  to  insist  so  much  on  this 
idea. 

Z 


266  ROMANS  11:  1—10. 

The  latter  part  of  this  verse  is  simply  the  converse  of  the  former.  But 
if  of  works,  then  it  is  no  more  grace  ;  otherwise  work  is  no  more  loork. 
If  founded  on  any  thing  in  us,  it  is  not  founded  on  the  mere  good  plea- 
sure of  God.  If  the  one  be  affirmed,  the  other  is  denied.  This  latter 
clause  is  left  out  of  so  many  of  the  ancient  MSS.  and  versions,  and 
passed  over  in  silence  by  so  many  of  the  fathers,  that  the  majority  of 
editors  are  disposed  to  regard  it  as  spurious.  Internal  evidence,  and  a 
comparison  with  similar  passages,  as  Rom.  4  :  4.  Eph.  2  :  8,  9,  are 
rather  in  its  favour. 

(7)  What  then  ?  Israel  hath  not  obtained  that  which  he  seeketh  for  : 
hut  the  election  hath  obtained  it,  &c.  This  verse  is  by  many  pointed 
differently,  and  read  thus,  "  What  then]  Hath  not  Israel  obtained  that 
which  he  seeketh  for]  nay,  but  the  election  have,"  &c.  The  sense  is 
not  materially  different.  The  apostle  evidently  designs  to  state  the  re- 
sult of  all  he  had  just  been  saying.  Israel,  as  a  body,  has  not  attained 
the  blessing  which  they  sought,  but  the  chosen  portion  of  them  have. 
The  rejection,  therefore,  is  not  total,  and  the  promises  of  God  made  of 
old  to  Israel,  which  contemplated  his  spiritual  people,  have  not  been 
broken.  It  is  clear,  from  the  whole  discourse,  that  the  blessing  sought 
by  the  Jews  was  justification,  acceptance  with  God,  and  admission  into 
his  kingdom  ;  see  ch.  10:3.  9  :  30,  31.  This  it  is  which  they  failed  to 
attain,  and  to  which  the  election  were  admitted.  It  was  not,  therefore, 
external  advantages  merely  which  the  apostle  had  in  view.  The  election 
means  those  elected;  as  the  circumcision  means  those  who  are  circumcised. 

And  the  rest  were  blinded.  The  verb  rendered  were  blinded  properly 
means,  in  its  ground  form,  to  harden,  to  render  insensible,  and  is  so  trans- 
lated in  our  version,  Mark  6  :  52.  8  :  17.  John  12  :  40.  In  2  Cor.  3 :  14, 
the  only  other  place  in  which  it  occurs  in  the  New  Testament,  it  is  ren- 
dered as  it  is  here.  It  is  used  in  reference  to  the  eyes  in  the  Septuagint, 
.Job  17  :  7,  "  My  eyes  are  dim  by  reason  of  sorrow."  Either  rendering, 
therefore,  is  admissible,  though  the  former  is  preferable  as  more  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  usual  meaning  of  the  word,  and  with  Paul's  language 
in  the  previous  chapters.  "  And  the  rest  were  hardened,"  that  is,  were 
insensible  to  the  truth  and  excellence  of  the  gospel,  and,  therefore,  disre- 
garded its  offers  and  its  claims.  They  were  abandoned  to  the  perverse- 
ness  of  their  own  hearts,  and  given  over  to  a  reprobate  mind. 

(8)  According  as  it  is  written,  God  hath  given  them  the  spirit  of 
slumber,  eyes  that  they  should  not  see,  ears  that  they  should  not  hear. 
This  passage,  as  is  the  case  with  ch.  9  :  33,  is  composed  of  several  found 
in  different  places  in  the  Old  Testament.  In  Isaiah  6 :  9,  it  is  said, 
*'  Hear  ye  indeed,  but  understand  not;  see  ye  indeed,  but  perceive  not;" 
V.  10,  "  Lest  they  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their  ears."  Deut. 
29  :  4,  "  Yet  the  Lord  hath  not  given  you  an  heart  to  perceive,  and  eyes 
to  see,  and  ears  to  hear,  unto  this  day."  Isa.  29  :  10,  "  For  the  Lord 
hath  poured  out  upon  you  the  spirit  of  deep  sleep,  and  hath  closed  yoni 
eyes."     The  spirit,  and,  to  some  extent,  the  language  of  these  passages, 


ROMANS  11:  1—10.  267 

Paul  cites  in  support  of  his  present  purpose.  They  are  in  part  descrip- 
tive of  what  had  occurred  in  the  times  of  the  prophet,  and  in  part  of  what 
should  occur  in  aftertimes,  and  are,  therefore,  quoted  in  reference  to  the 
character  and  conduct  of  the  Jews  in  the  days  of  Christ  (see  Matt.  13 : 
14).  The  import  of  such  citations  frequently  is,  that  what  was  fulfilled 
in  the  days  of  the  prophet  was  more  completely  accomplished  at  the  time 
referred  to  by  the  New  Testament  writer.  So,  in  this  case,  it  was  more 
fully  accomplished  at  this  period  of  the  Jewish  history  than  at  any  other, 
that  the  people  were  blinded,  hardened,  and  reprobated.  And  this  the 
ancient  prophets  had  frequently  predicted  should  be  the  case.  These 
quotations  also  serve  to  show  that  this  hardening,  and  consequent  rejec- 
tion of  the  Jews,  was  an  event  which,  with  regard  to  multitudes,  had 
frequently  occurred  before,  and,  therefore,  demonstrated  that  their  being 
cast  away  militated  with  none  of  the  divine  promises. 

God  hath  given  to  them.  In  the  Hebrew  and  Greek  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, Isa.  29:  10,  it  is,  "The  Lord  hath  poured  upon  you."  The 
sense  remaining  the  same.  Something  more  in  this  connexion  is  proba- 
bly intended  by  this  expression  than  that  God  permitted  them  to  become 
hardened  and  insensible  to  divine  truth.  Here,  as  in  ch.  9  :  18,  the  idea 
probably  is,  that  God  judicially  abandoned  them,  withdrawing  and 
withholding  the  influences  of  his  Spirit,  and  giving  them  up  to  a  repro- 
bate mind.  The  words  even  unto  this  day  may,  as  by  our  translators, 
be  connected  with  the  last  words  of  the  preceding  verse,  'The  rest  were 
blinded  even  unto  this  day.'  Or  they  may  be  considered  as  a  part  of  the 
quotation,  as  they  occur  in  the  passage  in  Deut.  29  :  4. 

(9,  10)  And  David  saith,  Let  their  table  he  made  a  snare,  and  a  trap, 
&c.  &c.  This  quotation  is  from  Ps.  69  :  22,  23.  There  is  nothing  in 
the  psalm  which  forbids  its  being  considered  as  a  prophetic  lamentation 
of  the  Messiah  over  his  afflictions,  and  a  denunciation  of  God's  judgments 
upon  his  enemies.  Verse  9,  "  The  zeal  of  thy  house  hath  eaten  me  up," 
and  v.  21,  "They  gave  me  vinegar  to  drink,"  are  elsewhere  quoted  and 
applied  to  Christ.  Viewed  in  this  light,  the  psalm  is  directly  applica- 
ble to  the  apostle's  object,  as  it  contains  a  prediction  of  the  judgments 
which  should  befall  the  enemies  of  Christ.  Let  their  table  he  is  only  an- 
other and  a  more  forcible  way  of  saying,  their  table  shall  be.  Isa.  47  :  5, 
"  Sit  thou  silent  and  get  thee  into  darkness,  O  daughter  of  the  Chalde- 
ans," for  '  Thou  shalt  sit,'  &c.  And  so  in  a  multitude  of  cases  in  the 
prophetic  writings.  In  the  psalm  indeed,  the  future  form  in  the  Hebrew 
is  used,  though  it  is  correctly  rendered  by  the  Septuagint,  and  in  our 
version  as  the  imperative,  in  these  passages.  The  judgments  here 
denounced  are  expressed  in  figurative  language.  The  sense  is,  their 
blessings  shall  become  a  curse,  blindness  and  weakness,  hardness  of 
heart  and  misery  shall  come  upon  them.  This  last  idea  is  forcibly  ex- 
pressed by  a  reference  to  the  dimness  of  vision,  and  decrepitude  of  old 
age ;  as  the  vigour  and  activity  of  youth  are  the  common  figure  for 
expressing  the  results  of  God's  favour 


268  ROMANS  11  :  1—10. 

Even  if  the  psalm  here  quoted  be  considered  as  referring  to  the  sor 
rows  and  the  enemies  of  the  sacred  writer  himself,  and  not  to  those  of 
Christ,  it  would  still  be  pertinent  to  the  apostle's  object.  The  enemies 
of  the  psalmist  were  the  enemies  of  God;  the  evils  imprecated  upon 
them  were  imprecated  on  them  as  such,  and  not  as  enemies  of  the  writer. 
These  denunciations  are  not  the  expression  of  the  desire  of  private 
revenge,  but  of  the  just  and  certain  judgments  of  God.  And  as  the 
psalmist  declared  how  the  enemies  of  God  should  be  treated,  how  dim 
their  eyes  should  become,  and  how  their  strength  should  be  broken,  so, 
Paul  says,  it  actually  occurs.  David  said,  let  them  be  so  treated,  and 
we  find  them,  says  the  apostle,  suiFering  these  very  judgments.  Paul, 
therefore,  in  teaching  that  the  great  body  of  the  Jews,  the  rejecters  and 
crucifiers  of  the  Son  of  God,  were  blinded  and  cast  away,  taught  nothing 
more  than  had  already  been  experienced  in  various  portions  of  their  his- 
tory, and  predicted  in  their  prophets. 

DOCTRINES. 

1 .  The  gifts  and  calling  of  God  are  without  repentance.  The  people 
whom  God  had  chosen  for  himself,  he  preserved  amidst  the  general 
defection  of  their  countrymen,  vs.  1,  2. 

2.  The  apparent  apostasy  of  a  church  or  community  from  God  is  not 
a  certain  test  of  the  character  of  all  the  individuals  of  which  it  may  be 
composed.  In  the  midst  of  idolatrous  Israel,  there  were  many  who  had 
not  bowed  the  knee  unto  Baal.  Denunciations,  therefore,  should  not  be 
made  too  general,  vs.  2 — 4. 

3.  The  fidelity  of  men  in  times  of  general  declension  is  not  to  be  as- 
cribed to  themselves,  but  to  the  grace  of  God.  Every  remnant  of  faith- 
ful men  is  a  remnant  according  to  the  election  of  grace.  That  is,  they 
are  faithful,  because  graciously  elected,  v.  5. 

4.  Election  is  not  founded  on  works,  nor  on  any  thing  in  its  objects, 
but  on  the  sovereign  pleasure  of  God  ;  and  it  is  not  to  church  privileges 
merely,  but  to  all  the  blessings  of  Christ's  kingdom,  vs.  6,  7. 

5.  It  is  not  of  him  that  willeth  nor  of  him  that  runneth.  Israel,  vith 
all  their  zeal  for  the  attainment  of  salvation,  were  not  successful,  while 
those  whom  God  had  chosen  attained  the  blessing,  v.  7. 

6.  Those  who  forsake  God,  are  forsaken  by  God.  In  leaving  him,  they 
leave  the  source  of  light,  feeling,  and  happiness,  v.  7. 

7.  When  men  are  forsaken  of  God  all  their  powers  are  useless,  and  all 
their  blessings  become  curses.  Having  eyes,  they  see  not,  and  their 
table  is  a  snare,  vs.  8 — 10. 

REMARKS. 

1.  As  in  the  times  of  the  greatest  defection,  there  are  some  who  remain 
faithful,  and  as  in  the  midst  of  apparently  apostate  communities,  there 
are  some  who  retain  their  integrity,  we  should  never  despair  of  the 
church,  nor  be  loo  ready  to  make  intercession  agains   Israel.     The  foun- 


ROMANS  11:  11—36.  2u9 

dation  of  God  standeth  sure,  having  this  seal,  the  Lord  knoweth  them 
that  are  his,  vs.  1 — 4. 

2.  Those  only  are  safe  whom  the  Lord  keeps.  Those  who  do  not  bow 
the  knee  to  Baal,  are  a  remnant  according  to  the  election  of  grace,  and 
not  according  to  the  firmness  of  their  own  purposes,  vs.  5,  6. 

3.  All  seeking  after  salvation  is  worse  than  useless,  unless  properly 
directed.  Those  who  are  endeavouring  to  work  out  a  righteousness  of 
their  own,  or  to  secure  the  favour  of  God  in  any  way  by  their  own  doings, 
are  beating  the  air.  Success  is  to  be  obtained  only  by  submission  to  the 
righteousness  of  God,  v.  7. 

4.  As  the  fact  that  any  attain  the  blessing  of  God  is  to  be  attributed  to 
their  election,  there  is  no  room  for  self-complacency  or  pride  ;  and  where 
these  feelings  exist,  and  are  cherished  in  reference  to  this  subject,  they 
are  evidence  that  we  are  not  of  the  number  of  God's  chosen,  v.  7. 

5.  Men  should  feel  and  acknowledge  that  they  are  in  the  hands  of  God  ; 
that,  as  sinners,  they  have  forfeited  all  claim  to  his  favour,  and  have  lost 
the  power  to  obtain  it.  To  act  perseveringly  as  though  either  of  these 
♦ruths  were  not  so,  is  to  set  ourselves  in  opposition  to  God  and  his  plan 
of  mercy,  and  is  the  very  course  to  provoke  him  to  send  on  us  the  spirit 
of  slumber.     This  is  precisely  what  the  Jews  did,  vs.  7,  8. 

6.  Men  are  commonly  ruined  by  the  things  in  which  they  put  their  trust 
or  take  most  delight.  The  whole  Mosaic  system,  with  its  rites  and 
ceremonies,  was  the  ground  of  confidence  and  boasting  to  the  Jews,  and 
it  was  the  cause  of  their  destruction.  So,  in  our  day,  those  who  take 
refuge  in  some  ecclesiastical  organization  instead  of  Christ,  will  find 
what  they  expected  would  prove  their  salvation,  to  be  their  ruin.  So, 
too,  all  misimproved  or  perverted  blessings  are  mad*  the  severest  curses, 
vs.  9,  10. 

CHAP.  11:  11—36. 

**I  say  then,  have  they  stumbled  that  they  should  fall  ?  God  forbid  : 
but  rather  through  their  fall  salvation  is  come  unto  the  Gentiles,  for  to 
provoke  them  to  jealousy,  ^^j^^ow  if  the  fall  of  them  he  the  riches  of 
the  world,  and  the  diminishing  of  them  the  riches  of  the  Gentiles  ;  how 
much  more  their  fulness.  ^^For  I  speak  to  you  Gentiles,  inasmuch  as  I 
am  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  I  magnify  mine  ofiice.  ^*If  by  any 
means  I  may  provoke  to  emulation  them  which  are  my  flesh,  and  might 
save  some  of  them.  *^For  if  the  casting  away  of  them  he  the  reconci- 
ling of  the  world,  what  shall  the  receiving  of  them  he,  but  life  from  the 
dead.  ^^For  if  the  first-fruit  he  holy,  the  lump  is  also  holy  :  and  if  the 
root  he  holy,  so  are  the  branches.  ^''And  if  some  of  the  branches  be 
broken  off,  and  thou,  being  a  wild  olive  tree,  wert  graffed  in  among  them, 
and  with  them  partakest  of  the  root  and  fatness  of  the  olive  tree ; 
"boast  not  against  the  branches.  But  if  thou  boast,  thou  bearest  not  the 
root,  but  the  root  thee.  ^^Thou  wilt  say  then,  the  branches  were  broken 
off,  that  I  might  be  graffed  in.     ^oYV'ell ;  because  of  unbelief  they  were 

z2 


270  ROMANS  11:  11—36. 

broken  off,  and  thou  standest  by  faith.  Be  not  high-minded,  but  fear: 
^*for  if  God  spared  not  the  natural  branches,  take  heed  lest  he  also  spare 
not  thee,  ^^ggi^oij  therefore  the  goodness  and  severity  of  God  :  on 
them  which  fell,  severity ;  but  toward  thee,  goodness,  if  thou  continue 
in  his  goodness  :  otherwise  thou  also  shalt  be  cut  off.  *^And  they  also, 
if  they  abide  not  in  unbelief,  shall  be  graffed  in  :  for  God  is  able  to 
graff  them  in  again.  ^*Yox  if  thou  wert  cut  out  of  the  olive  tree  which 
is  wild  by  nature,  and  were  graffed  contrary  to  nature  into  a  good  olive 
tree  :  how  much  more  shall  these,  which  be  the  natural  branches^  be 
graffed  into  their  own  olive  tree.  ^^¥ox  I  would  not,  brethren,  that  ye 
should  be  ignorant  of  this  mystery,  lest  ye  should  be  wise  in  your  own 
conceits  ;  that  blindness  in  part  is  happened  to  Israel,  until  the  fulness 
of  the  Gentiles  be  come  in.  ^^And  so  all  Israel  shall  be  saved  :  as  it  is 
written.  There  shall  come  out  of  Sion  the  Deliverer,  and  shall  turn  away 
ungodliness  from  Jacob.  ^'For  this  is  my  covenant  unto  them,  when  I 
shall  take  away  their  sins,  ^s^g  concerning  the  gospel,  they  are  enemies 
for  your  sakes :  but  as  touching  the  election, /A''?/  are  beloved  for  the 
fathers'  sakes.  ^^For  the  gifts  and  calling  of  God  are  without  repent- 
ance. 2°For  as  ye  in  times  past  have  not  believed  God,  yet  have  now 
obtained  mercy  through  their  unbelief :  ^^even  so  have  these  also  now 
not  believed,  that  through  your  mercy  they  also  may  obtain  mercy. 
^^For  God  hath  concluded  them  all  in  unbelief,  that  he  might  have  mercy 
upon  all.  2^0  the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge 
of  God  !  how  unsearchable  are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past  jfinding 
out!  3*For  who  hath  known  the  mind  of  the  Lord  ?  or  who  hath  been 
his  counsellor]  ^^Orwho  hath  first  given  to  him,  and  it  shall  be  recom- 
pensed unto  him  again  ?  ^''For  of  him,  and  through  him,  and  to  him,  are 
all  things  :  to  whom  he  glory  for  ever.     Amen. 


yis  the  rejection  of  the  Jews  was  not  total,  so  neither  is  it  final.  They 
have  not  so  fallen  as  to  be  hopelessly  prostrated.  First,  God  did  not 
design  to  cast  away  his  people  entirely,  but,  by  their  rejection,  in  the  first 
place,  to  facilitate  the  progress  of  the  gospel  among  the  Gentiles,  and 
ultimately  to  make  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles  the  means  of  convert- 
ing the  Jews,  v.  11.  The  latter  event  is  in  itself  desirable  and  probable. 
1.  Because  if  the  rejection  of  the  Jews  has  been  a  source  of  blessing, 
much  more  will  their  restoration  be  the  means  of  good,  vs.  12,  15.  (The 
verses  13,  14,  are  a  passing  remark  on  the  motive  which  influenced  the 
apostle  in  preaching  to  the  Gentiles.)  2.  Because  it  was  included  and 
contemplated  in  the  original  election  of  the  Jewish  nation.  If  the  root 
be  holy,  so  are  the  branches,  v.  16. 

The  breaking  off  and  rejection  of  some  of  the  original  branches,  and 
the  introduction  of  others  of  a  different  origin,  is  not  inconsistent  with 
this  doctrine ;  and  should  lead  the  Gentiles  to  exercise  humility  and  fear, 
and  not  boasting  or  exultation,  vs.  17 — 22.    As  the  rejection  of  the  Jews 


ROMANS  11:  11—36.  271 

was  a  punishment  of  their  unbelief,  and  not  the  expression  of  God's  ulti- 
mate purpose  respecting  them,  it  is,  as  intimated  in  v.  16,  more  probable 
that  God  should  restore  the  Jews,  than  that  he  should  have  called  the 
Gentiles,  vs.  23,  24. 

This  event,  thus  desirable  and  probable,  God  has  determined  to  ac- 
complish, vs.  25,  26.  The  restoration  of  the  Jews  to  the  privileges  of 
God's  people  is  included  in  the  ancient  predictions  and  promises  made 
respecting  them,  vs.  26,  27.  Though  now,  therefore,  they  are  treated  as 
enemies,  they  shall  hereafter  be  treated  as  friends,  v.  28.  For  the  pur- 
poses of  God  do  not  alter;  as  his  covenant  contemplated  the  restoration 
of  his  ancient  people,  that  event  cannot  fail  to  come  to  pass,  v.  29.  The 
plan  of  God,  therefore,  contemplated  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  the  tem- 
porary rejection  and  final  restoration  of  the  Jews,  vs.  30 — 32. 

How  adorable  the  wisdom  of  God  manifested  in  the  plan  and  conduct 
of  the  work  of  redemption!  Of  him,  through  him,  and  to  him,  are  all 
things ;  to  whom  be  glory  for  ever.     Amen,  vs.  33 — 36. 

COMMENTARY. 

(11)  I  say^  then,  have  they  stumbled  that  they  should  fall?  God  for 
bid,  &c.  This  verse  begins  with  the  same  formula  as  the  first  verse  of 
the  chapter,  and  for  the  same  reason.  As  there  the  apostle  wished  to 
have  it  understood  that  the  rejection  of  God's  ancient  people  was  not 
entire,  so  here  he  teaches  that  this  rejection  is  not  final.  That  this  is  the 
meaning  of  the  verse  seems  evident,  1.  From  the  comparative  force  of 
the  words  stumble  and  fall.  As  the  latter  is  a  much  stronger  term  than 
the  former,  it  seems  plain  that  Paul  designed  it  should  here  be  taken 
emphatically,  as  expressing  irrevocable  ruin  in  opposition  to  that  which 
is  temporary.  The  Jews  have  stumbled,  but  they  are  not  prostrated. 
2.  From  the  context;  all  that  follows  being  designed  to  prove  that  the 
fall  of  the  Jews  was  not  final.  This  is  indeed  intimated  in  this  very 
verse,  in  which  it  is  implied  that  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles  would 
lead  to  the  ultimate  conversion  of  the  Jews.  The  word  rendered  should 
fall  is  used  here,  as  elsewhere,  to  mean  should  perish^  become  miserable, 
Heb.  4:  11. 

But  throui^h  their,  fall  salvation  has  come  unto  the  Gentiles.  The 
stumbling  of  the  Jews  was  not  attended  with  the  result  of  their  utter  and 
final  ruin,  but  was  the  occasion  of  facilitating  the  progress  of  the  gospel 
among  the  Gentiles.  It  was,  therefore,  not  designed  to  lead  to  the  for- 
mer, but  to  the  latter  result.  From  this  very  design  it  is  probable  that 
they  shall  be  finally  restored,  because  the  natural  effect  of  the  conversion 
of  the  Gentiles  is  to  provoke  the  emulation  of  the  Jews.  That  the  rejec- 
tion of  the  gospel  on  the  part  of  the  Jews  was  the  means  of  its  wider  and 
more  rapid  spread  among  the  Gentiles,  seems  to  be  clearly  intimated  in 
several  passages  of  the  New  Testament.  "  It  was  necessary,"  Paul 
says  to  the  Jews,  "  that  the  word  of  God  should  first  have  been  spoken 
to  you;  but  seeing  ye  put  it  from  you,  and  judge  yourselves  unworthy 


#"■ 


272  ROMANS  11:  11— 3G. 

of  eternal  life,  lo,  we  turn  to  the  Gentiles,"  Acts  13 :  46.  And  in  Acts 
28 :  28,  after  saying  that  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  was  fulfilled  in  their 
unbelief,  he  adds,  "  Be  it  known,  therefore,  unto  you  that  the  salvation 
of  God  is  sent  unto  them." 

For  to  provoke  them  to  jealousy.  As  the  result  and  design  of  the 
rejection  of  the  Jews  was  the  salvation  of  the  Gentiles,  so  the  conversion 
of  the  latter  was  designed  to  bring  about  the  restoration  of  the  former. 
The  Gentiles  are  saved  in  order  to  provoke  the  Jews  to  jealousy.  That 
is,  this  is  one  of  the  many  benevolent  purposes  which  God  designed  lo 
accomplish  by  that  event.  This  last  clause  serves  to  explain  the  mean- 
ing of  the  apostle  in  the  former  part  of  the  verse.  He  shows  that  the 
rejection  of  the  Jews  was  flot  intended  to  result  in  their  being  finally 
cast  away,  but  to  secure  the  more  rapid  progress  of  the  gospel  among  the 
heathen,  in  order  that  their  conversion  might  react  upon  the  Jews,  and  be 
the  means  of  bringing  all,  at  last,  within  the  fold  of  the  Redeemer. 

(12)  Now  if  the  fall  (f  them  be  the  riches  of  the  world,  and  the  di- 
minishing of  them  the  riches  of  the  Gentiles,  how  much  more  their  ful- 
ness ?  Although  there  is  considerable  difficulty  in  fixing  the  precise 
sense  of  the  several  clauses  of  this  verse,  its  general  meaning  seems 
sufficiently  obvious.  '  If  the  rejection  of  the  Jews  has  been  the  occa- 
sion of  so  much  good  to  the  world,  how  much  more  may  be  expected 
from  their  restoration.'  In  this  view  it  bears  directly  upon  the  apostle's 
object,  which,  in  the  first  place,  is  to  show  that  the  restoration  of  the 
Jews  is  a  probable  and  desirable  event.  There  is  in  the  verse  a  twofold 
annunciation  of  the  same  idea.  In  the  first,  the  sentence  is  incomplete. 
*  If  the  fall  of  them  be  the  riches  of  the  world,  how  much  more  their  re- 
covery? if  their  diminishing,  how  much  more  their  fulness"?'  The  prin- 
cipal difficulty  in  this  passage  results  from  the  ambiguity  of  the  words 
rendered  diminishing  and  fulness.  The  former  properly  means,  inferior- 
ity, a  state  or  condition  worse  than  that  of  others,  or  ivorse  than  a  for- 
mer one.  This  sense  suits  the  present  passage.  '  If  their  misfortune, 
or  loss  of  former  advantages,  was  a  source  of  good ;  how  much  more 
their  fulness  V 

The  word  rendered  fulness  has  various  senses  in  the  New  Testament. 
It  properly  means  that  with  which  any  thing  is  Jilted,  as  in  the  frequent 
phrase  the  fulness  of  the  earth,  or  of  the  sea,  &c.  So  fulness  of  the  God- 
head, all  that  is  in  God,  the  plenitude  of  Deity.  It  then  naturally  is 
used  for  the  fulness  or  abundance  of  blessings  that  is  in  any  one.  John 
1  :  16,  "  Of  his  fulness  have  all  we  received  ;"  Eph.  3  :  19,  *'  That  ye 
might  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God."  Thirdly,  it  means  abun- 
dance, multitude,  especially  when  followed  by  a  genitive  expressing  the 
particulars  of  which  the  multitude  consists,  as  fulness  of  the  Gentiles, 
i.  e.  the  multitude  of  the  Gentiles,  v.  25  of  this  chapter.  It  also  means 
the  complement  or  supplement  of  any  thing,  the  remaining  part;  see 
Matt.  9:16.     So  in  Eph.  1 :  23,  the  church  may  be  called  the  fulness  of 

iirist  because  he  is  the  head,  the  church  is  the  residue,  or  complement, 


ROMANS  11:  11—36.  273 

by  which  the  mystical  body  is  completed.  Of  these  several  meanings, 
that  which  best  suits  this  passage  is,  fulness  of  blessings,  or  full  bless- 
edness; i.  e.  their  restoration  to  the  full  enjoyment  of  all  their  former 
privileges.  '  If  the  loss  or  ruin  of  the  Jews  has  been  the  occasion  of 
good  to  the  Gentiles,  how  much  more  shall  their  full  blessedness,  or 
complete  restoration,  be.' 

(13)  For  I  speak  to  you  Gentiles,  inasmuch  as  I  am  the  apostle  of 
the  Gentiles.  This  and  the  following  verse,  without  being  strictly  a 
parenthesis,  contain  a  transient  remark  relating  to  the  apostle's  own  feel- 
ings and  mode  of  acting  in  reference  to  the  subject  in  hand.  This  pas- 
sage is  connected  with  the  last  clause  of  the  preceding  verse,  in  which 
Paul  had  said  that  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles  was  adapted  and  de- 
signed to  bring  about  the  restoration  of  the  Jews.  These  two  events, 
instead  of  being  at  all  inconsistent,  were  intimately  related,  so  that  both 
ought  to  be  kept  constantly  in  view,  and  all  efforts  to  promote  the  former 
had  a  bearing  on  the  accomplishment  of  the  latter.  This  being  the  case, 
the  Gentiles  ought  to  consider  the  restoration  of  the  Jews  as  in  no  re- 
spect inimical  to  their  interests,  but  as  on  every  account  most  desirable. 
Paul,  therefore,  says  that  what  he  had  just  stated  in  reference  to  the 
effect  on  the  Jews,  of  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles,  he  designed  spe- 
cially for  the  latter ;  he  wished  them  to  consider  that  fact,  as  it  would 
prevent  any  unkind  feelings  towards  the  Jews.  He  had  the  better  right 
thus  to  speak,  as  to  him  especially  "the  gospel  of  the  uncircumcision 
had  been  committed."  He  himself,  in  all  he  did  to  secure  the  salvation 
of  the  Gentiles,  or  to  render  his  office  successful,  had  an  eye  to  the  con- 
version of  the  Jews.  The  word  rendered  I  magnify  means  first  to  praise, 
to  estimate  and  speak  highly  of  a  thing  ;  secondly,  to  render  glorious, 
as  ch.  8:  30,  "  Whom  he  justifies  them  he  also  glorifies;"  and  so  in  a 
multitude  of  cases.  Either  sense  of  the  word  suits  this  passage.  The 
latter,  however,  is  much  better  adapted  to  the  following  verse,  and,  there- 
fore, is  to  be  preferred,  'I  endeavour  to  render  my  ofiice  glorious  by 
bringing  as  many  Gentiles  as  possible  into  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  ;  if 
so  be  it  may  provoke  and  arouse  my  countrymen.'  The  object  of  the 
apostle,  therefore,  in  these  verses,  is  to  declare  that  he  always  acted 
under  the  influence  of  the  truth  announced  at  the  close  of  the  twelfth 
verse.  He  endeavoured  to  make  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles  a  means 
of  good  to  the  Jews. 

(14)  If  hy  any  means  I  may  provohe  to  emulation  them  which  are 
my  flesh,  and  might  save  some  of  them.  This  is  the  reason  (of  course 
one  among  many)  why  Paul  desired  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles.  If 
the  two  events,  the  salvation  of  both  classes,  were  intimately  related, 
there  was  no  ground  of  jealousy  on  either  part.  The  Gentiles  need  not 
fear  that  the  restoration  of  the  Jews  would  be  injurious  to  them,  as 
though  the  happiness  of  one  class  were  incompatible  with  that  of  the 
other. 

(15)  For  if  the  casting  away  of  them  be  the  reconciling  of  the  ivurld, 


274  ROMANS  11:  11—36. 

what  shall  the  receiving  of  them  he  but  life  from  the  dead?  Although 
Paul  here  returns  to  the  sentiment  of  the  12th  verse,  this  passage  is  logi- 
cally connected  with  the  preceding.  The  apostle  had  said,  that  even  in 
lahouring  for  the  Gentiles,  he  had  in  view  the  salvation  of  the  Jews,  for 
if  their  rejection  had  occasioned  so  much  good,  how  desirable  must  be 
their  restoration.  If  the  casting  away  of  them  be  the  reconciling  of  the 
loorld.  The  reconciliation  here  spoken  of  is  that  which  Paul  so  fully 
describes  in  Eph.  2  :  11 — 22.  A  reconciliation  by  which  those  who 
were  aliens  and  strangers  have  been  brought  nigh;  reconciled  at  once  to 
the  church,  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  to  God  himself,  "by  the 
blood  of  Christ."  This  event  has  been  facilitated,  as  remarked  above, 
by  the  rejection  of  the  Jews,  what  will  the  restoration  of  the  Jews  then 
be,  hit  life  from  the  dead?  That  is,  it  will  be  a  most  glorious  event; 
as  though  a  new  world  had  risen ;  it  will  therefore  be  an  event,  not  only, 
glorious  in  itself,  but  in  the  highest  degree  beneficial  for  the  Gentiles. 

(16)  For  if  the  first-fruits  be  holy,  the  lump  is  also  holy,  and  if  the 
root  be  holy,  so  also  are  the  branches.  Under  two  striking  and  appropriate 
figures,  the  apostle  expresses  the  general  idea,  '  If  one  portion  of  the 
Jewish  people  is  holy,  so  also  is  the  other.'  With  regard  to  this  inte- 
resting passage,  the  first  point  to  be  settled  is  the  allusion  in  the  figura- 
tive expression  in  the  first  clause.  The  Jews  were  commanded  to  offei 
a  certain  portion  of  all  the  productions  of  the  earth  to  God,  as  an  expres- 
sion of  gratitude  and  acknowledgment  of  dependence.  This  offering, 
called  the  first-fruits,  was  to  be  made,  first,  from  the  productions  in  their 
natural  state  (Ex.  23  :  19)  ;  and,  secondly,  from  the  meal,  wine,  oil,  and 
dough,  as  prepared  for  use.  Num.  15  :  20,  "  Of  the  first  of  your  dough 
ye  shall  give  unto  the  Lord  a  heave-off'ering  in  all  your  generations  ;" 
Neh.  10  :  37.  Deut.  18  :  14.  The  allusion  is  here  probably  to  the  latter 
of  these  offerings,  as  the  word  lump  cannot  so  well  refer  to  the  mass  of 
grains  as  to  the  mass  of  dough  from  which  the  first-fruits  were  taken. 

By  the  first-fruits  and  the  root  are  to  be  understood  the  source  of  the 
Jewish  people,  i.  e.  their  ancestors;  and  by  the  lump  and  branches  the 
residue  of  the  nation.  The  meaning,  therefore,  is,  'If  the  ancestors  of 
the  Jews  were  holy,  so  are  their  descendants.'  The  word  holy  does  not 
in  this  case  mean  morally  pure,  but  consecrated,  separated  to  the  special 
service  of  God.  The  word  is  used  in  this  sense  in  a  multitude  of  cases 
in  the  Old  Testament,  and  is  applied  to  any  person,  place,  or  thing 
set  apart  for  the  service  of  God.  It  is  used  in  the  same  sense  in  the  New 
Testament  also  :  see  Matt.  4:5.  7:6.  Luke  2  :  23.  1  Cor.  7  :  14.  The 
Jews,  therefore,  in  this  passage  are  called  holy,  because  peculiarly  con- 
secrated to  God,  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  world  as  his  chosen 
people. 

The  connexion  of  this  verse  with  the  preceding,  its  import  and  bearing 
on  the  apostle's  object  is  therefore  clear.  The  restoration  of  the  Jews, 
which  will  be  attended  with  such  beneficial  results  for  the  whole  world, 
is  to  be  expected,  because  of  their  peculiar  relation  to  God  as  his  chosen 


ROMANS  11:  11—36.  275 

people.  God,  in  selecting-  the  Hebrew  patriarchs  and  setting  them  apart 
for  his  service,  had  reference  to  their  descendants  as  well  as  to  themselves, 
and  designed  that  the  Jews  as  a  people  should,  to  the  latest  generations, 
be  specially  devoted  to  himself.  They  stand  now,  therefore,  and  ever 
have  stood,  in  a  relation  to  God,  which  no  other  nation  ever  has  sus- 
tained;  and,  in  consequence  of  this  relation,  their  restoration  to  the 
divine  favour  is  an  event  in  itself  probable,  and  one,  which  Paul  after- 
wards teaches  (v.  25),  God  has  determined  to  accomplish. 

(17 — 24)  The  object  of  these  verses  is  to  make  such  an  application  of 
the  truths  which  Paul  had  just  taught  as  should  prevent  any  feeling  of 
exultation  or  triumph  of  the  Gentile  Christians  over  the  Jews.  It  is  true 
that  the  Jews  have  been  partially  rejected  from  the  church  of  God,  that 
the  Gentiles  have  been  introduced  into  it,  and  that  the  Jews  are  ultimately 
to  be  restored  :  these  things,  however,  afford  no  ground  of  boasting  to 
the  Gentiles,  but  rather  cause  of  thankfulness  and  caution.  Paul  illus- 
trates these  truths  by  a  very  appropriate  figure. 

(17)  And  if  some  of  the  branches  he  broken  off^  and  ihatt.,  being  a 
wild  olive  tree,  wert  graffed  in  among  them,  &c.  The  purport  of  this 
passage  is  plain.  Some  of  the  Jews  were  broken  off  and  rejected  ;  the 
Gentiles,  though  apparently  little  susceptible  of  such  a  blessing,  were 
introduced  into  the  church,  and  made  to  partake  of  all  its  peculiar  and 
precious  privileges.  The  Jewish  church  is  compared  to  the  olive  tree, 
one  of  the  most  durable,  productive,  and  valuable  of  the  productions  of  the 
earth,  because  it  was  highly  favoured,  and,  therefore,  valued  in  the  sight 
of  God.  The  Gentiles  are  compared  to  the  wild  olive,  one  of  the  most 
worthless  of  trees,  to  express  the  degradation  of  their  state,  considered  as 
estranged  from  God.  As  it  is  customary  to  ingraft  good  scions  on  infe- 
rior stocks,  the  nature  of  the  product  bring  determined  by  the  graft  and 
not  the  root,  it  has  been  thought  that  the  illustration  of  the  apostle  is  not 
very  apposite.  But  the  difficulty  may  result  from  pressing  the  compari- 
son too  far.  The  idea  may  be  simply  this,  '  as  the  scion  of  one  tree  is 
ingrafted  into  another,  and  has  no  independent  life,  but  derives  all  its 
vigour  from  the  root,  so  the  Gentiles  are  introduced  among  the  people  of 
God,  not  to  confer  but  to  receive  good.'  It  is,  however  said,  on  the  au- 
thority of  ancient  writers  and  of  modern  travellers,  to  have  been  not  unusual 
to  graft  the  wild  on  the  cultivated  olive. 

It  is  plain  from  this  verse  that  the  root  in  this  passage  cannot  be  the 
early  converts  from  among  the  Jews,  but  the  ancient  covenant  people  of 
God.  The  ancient  theocracy  was  merged  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  The 
latter  is  but  an  enlargement  and  elevation  of  the  former.  There  has, 
therefore,  never  been  other  than  one  family  of  God  on  earth,  existing 
under  different  institutions,  and  enjoying  different  degrees  of  light  and 
favour.  This  family  was  composed  of  old  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob, 
and  their  descendants.  At  the  advent  its  name  and  circumstances  were 
changed,  many  of  its  old  members  were  cast  out,  and  others  introduced, 


276  ROMANS  11:  11— 3C. 

but  it  is  the  same  family  still.     Or,  to  return  to  the  apostle's  illustration, 
it  is  the  same  tree,  some  of  the  branches  only  being  changed. 

(18)  Boast  not  thyself  against  the  branches.  But  if  thou  boasi,  ihoit 
hearest  not  the  root,  but  the  root  thee.  The  truth  which  the  apostle  had 
just  taught,  that  the  Jews  were  the  channel  of  blessings  to  the  Gentiles, 
and  not  the  reverse,  was  adapted  to  prevent  all  ungenerous  and  self-con- 
fident exultation  of  the  latter  over  the  former. 

(19)  Thou  wilt  say  then,  The  branches  were  broken  off,  that  I  might 
be  graffed  in.  The  Gentiles  are  not  authorized  to  infer  from  the  fact 
that  the  Jews  were  rejected  and  they  chosen,  that  this  occurred  on  the 
ground  of  their  being  in  themselves  better  than  the  Jews.  The  true 
reason  of  this  dispensation  is  assigned  in  the  next  verse. 

(20)  Well,  because  of  unbelief  they  were  broken  off,  &c.  The  fact 
that  they  were  broken  off  is  admitted,  but  the  inference  impliedly  drawn 
by  the  Gentiles  is  denied.  It  was  not  for  any  personal  considerations 
that  the  one  w^as  rejected  and  the  other  chosen.  The  Jews  were  rejected 
because  they  rejected  the  Saviour,  and  the  only  tenure  by  which  the  ad- 
vantages of  a  covenant  relation  to  God  can  be  retained  is  faith.  The 
Gentiles,  therefore,  wall  not  be  secure  because  Gentiles,  any  more  than 
the  Jews  were  safe  because  Jews.  Instead  therefore  of  being  high- 
minded,  they  should  fear. 

(21)  If  God  spared  not  the  natural  branches,  take  heed  lest  he  also 
spare  not  thee.  The  Gentile  has  even  more  reason  to  fear  than  the  Jew 
had.  It  was  in  itself  far  more  probable  that  God  would  spare  a  people 
so  long  connected  with  him  in  the  most  peculiar  manner,  than  that  he 
will  spare  those  who  have  no  such  claims  on  his  mercy.  The  idea  in- 
tended to  be  expressed  by  this  verse  probably  is,  that  the  Jews,  from  their 
relation  to  God,  were  more  likely  to  be  spared  than  the  Gentiles,  inas- 
much as  God  is  accustomed  to  bear  long  with  the  recipients  of  his  mercy 
before  he  casts  them  off;  even  as  a  father  bears  long  with  a  son  before 
he  discards  him  and  adopts  another. 

(22)  Behold,  therefore,  the  goodness  and  severity  of  God;  on  them 
which  fell  severity ;  but  on  thee  goodness.  The  effect,  which  the  con- 
sideration of  these  dispensations  of  God  should  produce,  is  gratitude  and 
fear.  Gratitude,  in  view  of  the  favour  which  we  Gentiles  have  received, 
and  fear  lest  we  should  be  cut  off;  for  our  security  does  not  depend  upon 
our  now  enjoying  the  blessings  of  the  church  of  God,  but  is  dependent 
on  our  continuing  in  the  divine  goodness  or  favour  (Rom.  3  :  4.  Tit. 
3  :  4),  that  is,  on  our  doing  nothing  to  forfeit  that  favour;  its  continuance 
being  suspended  on  the  condition  of  our  fidelity.  There  is  no  promise  or 
covenant  on  the  part  of  God  securing  to  the  Gentiles  the  enjoyment  of  these 
blessings  through  all  generations,  any  more  than  there  was  any  such 
promise  to  protect  the  Jews  from  the  consequences  of  their  unbelief. 
The  continuance  of  these  favours  depends  on  the  conduct  of  each  suc- 
cessive generation.  Paul,  therefore,  says  to  the  Gentile  that  he  must 
continue  in  the  divine  favour,  "  otherwise  thou  also  shalt  be  cut  off." 


ROMANS  11:  11—36.  277 

(23)  And  they  also,  if  they  bide  not  in  unbelief,  shall  be  graffed  in^ 
&c.  The  principle  which  the  apostle  had  just  stated  as  applicable  to  the 
Gentiles,  is  applicable  also  to  the  Jews.  Neither  one  nor  the  other, 
simply  because  Jew  or  Gentile,  is  either  retained  in  the  church,  or 
excluded  from  it.  As  the  one  continues  in  this  relation  to  God,  only  on 
condition  of  faith;  so  the  other  is  excluded  by  his  unbelief  alone. 
Nothing  but  unbelief  prevents  the  Jews  being  brought  back,  "for  God 
is  able  to  graff  them  in  again."  That  is,  not  merely  has  God  the  power 
to  accomplish  this  result,  but  the  difficulty  or  impediment  is  not  in  him, 
but  solely  in  themselves.  There  is  no  inexorable  purpose  in  the  divine 
mind,  nor  any  insuperable  obstacle  in  the  circumstances  of  the  case, 
which  forbids  their  restoration ;  on  the  contrary,  the  event  is,  in  itself 
considered,  far  more  probable  than  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles. 

(24)  For  if  thou  weri  cut  out  of  the  olive  tree  which  is  wild  by 
nature,  and  wert  graffed  contrary  to  nature  into  a  good  olive  tree  ; 
how  much  more,  &c.  The  simple  meaning  of  this  verse  is,  that  the 
future  restoration  of  the  Jews  is,  in  itself,  a  more  probable  event  than 
the  introduction  of  the  Gentiles  into  the  church  of  God.  This,  of  course, 
supposes  that  God  regarded  the  Jews,  on  account  of  their  relation  to  him, 
with  peculiar  favour,  and  that  there  is  still  something  in  their  relation  to 
the  ancient  servants  of  God  and  his  covenant  with  them,  which  causes 
them  to  be  regarded  with  special  interest.  As  men  look  upon  the  chil- 
dren of  their  early  friends  with  kinder  feelings  than  on  the  children  of 
strangers,  God  refers  to  this  fact  to  make  us  sensible  that  he  still  retains 
purposes  of  peculiar  mercy  towards  his  ancient  people.  The  restoration 
of  this  people,  therefore,  to  the  blessings  of  the  church  of  God  is  far  from 
being  an  improbable  event. 

(25)  For  I  would  not,  brethren,  have  you  ignorant  of  this  mystery^ 
lest  ye  should  be  ivise  in  your  own  conceits,  that  blindness  in  part  has 
happened  unto  Israel,  until  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  be  come  in, 
Paul,  having  shown  that  the  restoration  of  the  Jews  is  a  probable  and 
desirable  event,  in  this  passage  declares  that  God  has  determined  to  ac- 
complish it.  I  would  not  have  you  ignorant,  is  a  form  of  expression 
which  he  often  uses  when  he  wishes  to  call  the  attention  of  his  readers 
to  something  of  special  importance.  The  word  mystery,  in  the  scriptu- 
ral sense  of  the  term,  does  not  mean  something  incomprehensible,  but 
something  hidden,  or  previously  unknown,  and  which  can  only  be  dis- 
covered by  divine  revelation.  In  this  sense  the  whole  gospel  is  called  a 
mystery,  Rom.  16  :  25.  1  Cor.  2  :  7.  4  :  1.  Eph.  6  :  19  ;  or  any  single 
doctrine,  however  simple,  may  be  so  called  ;  see  Eph.  3  :  4.  The  use 
of  this  word  shows  that  Paul  meant  in  this  verse  to  declare  a  fact  which 
was  undiscoverable  by  human  reason,  one  which  could  be  known  only 
when  revealed.     Such  an  event  is  the  future  restoration  of  the  Jews. 

Lest  ye  should  be  wise  in  your  own  conceits.  This  is  given  as  the 
reason  why  the  apostle  wished  the  Gentiles  to  know  and  consider  the 
event  which  he  was  about  to  announce.     This  clause  may  mean  either, 

2  A 


278  ROMANS  11:  11—36. 

*  Lest  ye  proudly  imajrine  that  your  own  ideas  of  the  destiny  of  the  Jews 
are  correct ;'  or,  '  Lest  ye  be  proud  and  elated,  as  though  you  were 
better  and  more  highly  favoured  than  the  Jews.'  The  former  is  perhaps 
most  in  accordance  with  the  literal  meaning  of  the  words ;  see  Proverbs 
3:7. 

Blindness  in  part^  i.  e.  partial  blindness ;  partial  as  to  its  extent  and 
continuance;  because  not  all  the  Jews  were  thus  blinded,  nor  were  the 
nation  to  remain  blind  for  ever.  The  word  rendered  blindness  is  more 
correctly  rendered,  in  Mark  3:  5,  hardness ,-  compare  Eph.  4 :  18 ;  see 
V.  7,  and  ch.  9  :  18. 

Until  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  he  come  in.  See  v.  12  for  the  vari- 
ous meanings  of  the  word  rendered /u/nes.s.  The  sense  which  best  suits 
this  passage  is  multitude ,-  see  Gen.  48:  19,  "  His  seed  shall  become  a 
multitude  of  nations ;"  and  Isa.  31:4,  where,  in  Hebrew,  the  word  for 
fulness  is  used.  The  clause  then  means,  '  Until  the  multitude  of  the 
Gentiles  be  converted.'  It  does  not  necessarily  imply  that  all  the  Gen- 
tiles are  to  be  thus  brought  in  before  the  conversion  of  the  Jews  occurs, 
but  that  this  latter  event  was  not  to  take  place  until  a  great  multitude  of 
the  Gentiles  had  entered  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  The  meaning 
then  of  this  interesting  passage  is,  that  the  partial  blindness  of  the  Jews 
is  to  continue  until  the  conversion  of  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles,  and 
then,  as  stated  in  the  next  verse,  they  are  to  be  brought  again  into  the 
kingdom  of  God. 

(26)  And  so  all  Israel  shall  be  saved,  as  it  is  written.  Israel  here, 
from  the  context,  must  mean  the  Jewish  people,  and  all  Israel  the  whole 
nation,  in  opposition  to  the  part  spoken  of  above.  Now,  part  of  the 
Jewish  people  is  rejected  ;  then,  the  whole  shall  be  gathered  in.  The 
nation,  as  such,  shall  acknowledge  Jesus  to  be  the  Messiah,  and  be  ad- 
mitted into  his  kingdom. 

In  support  of  this  declaration,  Paul  appeals  to  a  prediction  in  Isa.  59  : 
20,  There  shall  come  out  of  Sion  the  Deliverer,  who  shall  turn  away  un- 
godliness from  Jacob.  The  apostle's  version  of  this  passage  agrees 
neither  with  the  Hebrew  nor  the  Septuagint.  It  differs,  however,  but 
little  from  the  latter.  Instead  of  out  of  Zion,  the  Greek  version  has  for 
the  sake  of  Z>on,  and  the  English,  to  Zion.  The  last  js  the  most  literal, 
the  second  is  also  correct,  but  the  first  (^out  of  Zion)  is  not  consistent  with 
the  force  of  the  Hebrew  preposition  used  by  Isaiah.  It  is  most  probable, 
therefore,  that  the  apostle  borrowed  those  words  fromPs.  14  :  7.  In  the 
latter  part  of  the  verse  the  departure  from  the  Hebrew  is  more  serious. 
In  our  version  we  have  a  literal  translation  of  the  Hebrew,  "The  Re- 
deemer shall  come  to  Zion,  and  unto  them  that  turn  from  transgression  in 
Jacob."  Paul  follows  the  Septuagint,  with  which  also  the  Chaldee 
paraphrase  agrees.  This  agreement  of  the  ancient  versions  has  led  critics 
to  suppose  that  the  ancient  translators  found  a  different  reading  in  the 
Hel)rew  text  from  that  which  we  have  at  present.  This  is  the  more  pro- 
bable, because  the  Hebrew  phrase,  as  it  now  stands,  is  very  unusual,  to 


ROMANS  11:  11—36.  279 

the  converts  of  transgressions.  But  even  according  to  the  present  text, 
the  passage  contains  the  general  meaning  which  the  apostle  attributes  to 
it.     '  The  Goel,  the  deliverer,  should  come  for  the  salvation  of  Zion.' 

The  apostle  informs  us  that  the  deliverance  which  God  promised  to 
effect,  and  which  is  spoken  of  by  the  prophet  in  the  passage  above  cited, 
included  much  more  than  the  conversion  of  the  few  Jews  who  believed 
in  Christ  at  the  advent.  The  full  accomplishment  of  the  promise,  that 
he  should  turn  away  ungodliness  from  Jacob,  contemplated  the  conver- 
sion of  the  whole  nation  as  such  to  Ihe  Lord.  We  are,  of  course,  bound 
to  receive  the  apostle's  interpretation  as  correct,  and  there  is  the  less  dif- 
ficulty in  this,  as  there  is  nothing  in  the  original  passage  at  all  incompa- 
tible with  it,  and  as  it  accords  with  the  nature  of  God's  covenant  with  his 
ancient  people. 

(27)  Fur  this  is  my  covenant  unto  them,  when  I  shall  tahe  away 
their  sins.  This  verse  is  not  a  quotation  from  any  one  passage  in  the  Old 
Testament,  but  rather  a  declaration,  on  the  part  of  the  apostle,  of  the  pur- 
port of  God's  promises  or  covenant  with  his  people.  The  first  clause 
occurs  in  Isa.  59:  21,  immediately  after  the  passage  quoted  above,  and 
also  in  Jer.  31  :  33.  The  latter  clause  may  be  considered  either  as  the 
substance  of  the  passage  in  Jeremiah,  or  as  borrowed  from  Isa.  27  :  9, 
where,  in  the  Septuagint,  these  same  words  occur.  In  either  case  the 
general  idea  is  the  same.  '  The  promise  of  God  contemplated  the  taking 
away  of  the  sins  of  his  covenant  people,  and  their  consequent  restoration 
to  his  favour.'  The  words  when  I  shall  take  away  their  sins  may,  ac- 
cording to  the  context,  mean  either,  when  I  have  punished  their  sins  : 
or,  when  I  have  removed  them.  Neither  is  inconsistent  with  the  context 
in  this  case,  as  the  apostle  may  mean  that  God  would  restore  the  Jews 
after  he  had  punished  them  for  their  iniquities,  or  when  he  had  converted 
them  from  their  unbelief;  see  Isa.  4 :  4. 

(28)  As  concerning  the  gospel  they  are  enemies  for  your  sahes,  hut  as 
touching  the  election  they  are  beloved  for  the  fathers^  sakes.  In  this  and  the 
ievf  following  verses,  the  apostle  sums  up  what  he  had  previously  taught. 
The  Jews,  he  says,  were  now,  as  far  as  the  gospel  was  concerned, 
regarded  and  treated  as  enemies  for  the  benefit  of  the  Gentiles,  but,  in 
reference  to  the  election,  they  were  still  regarded  as  the  peculiar  people 
of  God  on  account  of  their  connexion  with  the  patriarchs.  They  are  ene- 
mies, Avhether  of  the  gospel,  of  the  apostle,  or  of  God,  is  not  expressed, 
and,  therefore,  depends  on  the  context.  Each  view  of  the  clause  has  its 
advocates  ;  the  last  is  the  correct  one,  because  they  are  enemies  to  him,  by 
whom,  on  one  account,  they  are  beloved.  The  word  may  be  taken  ac- 
tively or  passively.  They  are  inimical  to  God,  or  they  are  regarded  and 
treated  as  enemies  by  him.  The  latter  best  suits  the  context.  They 
are  now  aliens  from  their  own  covenant  of  promise. 

As  concerning  the  gospel,  that  is,  the  gospel  is  the  occasion  of  their 
being  regarded  as  enemies.  This  is  explained  by  a  reference  to  vs.  11, 
15      B}'  their  punishment  the  progress  of  the  gospel  has  been  facilitated 


280  ROMANS  11:  11—36. 

among  the  Gentiles  ;  and,  therefore,  the  apostle  says,  it  is  for  your  sokes 
they  are  thus  treated.  On  the  other  hand,  as  it  regards  the  election  or  the 
covenant  of  God,  they  are  still  regarded  with  peculiar  favour,  because 
descended  from  those  patriarchs  to  whom  and  to  whose  seed  the  promises 
were  made.  This  is  but  expressing  in  a  different  form  the  idea  which 
the  apostle  had  previously  presented,  viz.  that  the  covenant  made  with 
Abraham  was  inconsistent  with  the  final  rejection  of  the  Jews  as  a  people. 
God  foresaw  and  predicted  their  temporary  defection  and  rejection  from 
his  kingdom,  but  never  contemplated  their  being  for  ever  excluded  ;  see 
vs.  16,  25—27. 

(29)  For  the  gifts  and  calling  of  God  are  without  repentance.  God 
is  not  a  man  that  he  should  change.  Having  chosen  the  Jews  as  his 
people,  the  purpose  which  he  had  in  view  in  that  choice  can  never  be 
altered;  and  as  it  was  his  purpose  that  they  should  ever  remain  his  peo- 
ple, their  future  restoration  to  his  favour  and  kingdom  is  certain.  Having 
previously  explained  the  nature  of  God's  covenant  with  his  ancient  people, 
Paul  infers  from  the  divine  character  that  it  will  be  fully  accomplished. 
Calling  is  equivalent  to  election  as  appears  from  the  context,  the  one  word 
being  substituted  for  the  other,  and  also  from  the  use  of  the  cognate 
terms,  (see  ch.  8  :  28.  1  :  7,  &c.  &c.)  The  general  proposition  of  the 
apostle,  therefore,  is,  that  the  purposes  of  God  are  unchangeable ;  and, 
consequently,  those  whom  God  has  chosen  for  any  special  benefit  cannot 
fail  to  attain  it. 

(30,  31)  For  as  ye  in  times  past  have  not  believed  God,  yet  have 
now  obtained  mercy  through  their  unbelief ;  even  so,  &c.  These  verses 
contain  a  repetition  and  confirmation  of  the  previous  sentiment.  The 
cases  of  the  Gentiles  and  Jews  are  very  nearly  parallel.  Formerly  the 
Gentiles  were  disbelieving,  yet  the  unbelief  of  the  Jews  became  the  occa- 
sion of  their  obtaining  mercy  ;  so  now,  though  the  Jews  are  disobedient, 
the  mercy  shown  to  the  Gentiles  is  to  be  the  means  of  their  obtaining 
mercy.  As  the  gospel  came  from  the  Jews  to  the  Gentiles,  so  is  it  to  return 
from  the  Gentiles  to  the  Jews.  Paul  had  before  stated  how  the  unbelief 
of  the  Israelites  was  instrumental  in  promoting  the  salvation  of  other 
nations,  and  how  the  con  version  of  the  Gentiles  was  to  react  upon  the  Jews. 

The  31st  verse  is  thus  rendered  in  our  translation,  and,  no  doubt,  cor- 
rectly. Even  so  have  these  also  now  not  believed,  that  through  your  mercy 
they  also  may  obtain  mercy.  The  particle  rendered  that,  expresses  here 
the  result  rather  than  the  design.  They  now  are  disbelieving,  not  in  order 
that  they  might  obtain  mercy  through  your  mercy  ;  but  such  is  the  result. 
Through  your  mercy.  The  dative,  in  which  form  the  words  thus  trans- 
lated occur,  here,  as  in  v.  30  and  often  elsewhere,  expresses  the  cause  or 
occasion.  Paul  had  repeatedly  remarked  that  the  conversion  of  the  Gen- 
tiles was  to  be  the  occasion  of  the  restoration  of  the  Jews,  as  the  disbe- 
lief of  the  latter  had  been  the  occasion  of  good  to  the  former.  And  this 
seems  obviously  his  meaning  here,  from  the  opposition  between  the 
phrases  their  unbelief  ^.nA  your  mercy. 


ROMANS  11:  11--3{k  281 

(32)  For  God  hath  concluded  all  in  unbeliefs  that  he  might  have 
mercy  upon  all.  The  word  rendered  hath  concluded.,  means  hath  deliver^ 
ed  over  to  the  power  of.  Ps.  31  :  8,  "Thou  hast  not  shut  me  up  into 
the  hand  of  the  enemy ;"  Ps.  78 :  50,  "  He  gave  their  life  over  to  the 
pestilence."  In  both  these  cases  the  Septuagint  employ  the  word  here 
used  by  the  apostle.  So,  too.  Gal.  3 :  22,  "  The  scripture  hath  con- 
cluded all  under  sin,"  i.  e.  declared  all  to  be  delivered  up  to  the  power 
of  sin.  The  meaning  of  the  passage,  therefore,  is,  that  God  has  delivered 
all  men  unto  unbelief,  i.  e.  has  permitted  all  thus  to  sin  ;  or  has  delivered 
them  over,  in  the  sense  in  which,  in  ch.  I  :  28,  he  is  said  to  deliver  men 
up  to  the  evil  of  their  own  hearts.  The  object  of  Paul  seems  to  be  to 
direct  the  attention  of  his  readers  to  the  fact  that  God's  dealings  with 
men,  Jews  and  Gentiles,  had  been  such  as  to  place  them  upon  the  same 
ground.  Both  were  dependent  on  sovereign  mercy.  Both  had  sunk  into 
a  state  whence  no  effort  and  no  merit  of  their  own  could  redeem  them, 
and  whence,  if  saved  at  all,  it  must  be  by  grace.  As,  therefore,  all  men 
had  forfeited  every  claim  to  the  divine  mercy,  and  all  were  in  the  same 
condition  of  unbelief,  God  had  determined  to  display  his  goodness  by 
having  mercy  upon  all  (that  is,  upon  the  Jews  as  well  as  the  Gentiles), 
and  thus  bring  all  ultimately  to  one  fold,  under  one  Shepherd. 

(33 — 36)  The  apostle  having  finished  his  exhibition  of  the  plan  of 
redemption,  having  presented  clearly  the  doctrine  of  justification,  sancti- 
fication,  the  certainty  of  salvation  to  all  believers,  election,  the  calling  of 
the  Gentiles,  the  present  rejection  and  final  restoration  of  the  Jews,  in 
view  of  all  the  wonders  and  all  the  glories  of  the  divine  dealings  with 
men,  pours  forth  this  sublime  and  affecting  tribute  to  the  wisdom,  good- 
ness, and  sovereignty  of  God.  Few  passages,  even  in  the  Scriptures, 
are  to  be  compared  with  this,  in  the  force  with  which  it  presents  the  idea 
that  God  is  all,  and  man  is  nothing.  The  principal  ideas  presented  in 
this  passage  are,  I.  The  incomprehensible  character  and  infinite  excel- 
lence of  the  divine  Nature  and  dispensations,  v..  33.  2.  His  entire  inde- 
pendence of  man,  vs.  34,  35.  3.  His  comprehending  all  things  within 
himself;  being  the  source,  the  means,  and  the  end  of  all,  v.  35. 

(33)  0  the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of 
God!  How  unsearchable  are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  are  past 
finding  out  /  Although  it  is  not  probable  that,  in  such  a  passage,  every 
word  was  designed  to  be  taken  in  a  very  precise  and  definite  sense,  yet 
it  is  likely  that  Paul  meant  to  express  different  ideas  by  the  terms  tvis- 
dom  and  knowledge,  because  both  are  so  wonderfully  displayed  in  the 
work  of  redemption,  of  which  he  had  been  speaking.  All-comprehend- 
ing knowledge,  which  surveyed  all  the  subjects  of  this  work,  all  the 
necessities  and  circumstances  of  their  being,  all  the  means  requisite  for 
the  accomplishment  of  the  divine  purpose,  and  all  the  results  of  those 
means  from  the  beginning  to  the  end.  Infinite  wisdom,  in  selecting  and 
adapting  the  means  to  the  object  in  view,  in  the  ordering  of  the  whole 
scheme  of  creation,  providence,  and  redemption,  so  that  the  glory  of  God, 

2a2 


282  ROMANS  11:  11—36. 

and  the  happiness  of  his  creatures  are,  and  are  to  be,  wonderfully  pro- 
moted. His  judgments  are  unsearchable.  That  is,  his  decisions,  pur- 
poses, or  decrees.  Ps.  119:  75.  In  this  sense  this  clause  differs  frona 
the  following.  The  plans  and  purposes  of  God  are  unsearchable,  and 
his  ways,  his  methods  of  executing  them,  are  incomprehensible.  Or 
both  clauses  may  be  understood  as  containing  the  same  general  idea, 
God's  dealings  are  beyond  the  comprehension  of  mortals. 

(34)  For  who  hath  known  the  mind  of  the  Lord  ?  Who  hath  been 
his  counsellor  P  See  Isa.  40 :  13.  Jer.  23  :  18.  This  and  the  following 
verse  confirm  the  declaration  of  the  preceding,  and  assert  the  entire  inde- 
pendence of  God.  His  judgments  and  ways  are  unsearchable,  for  who 
has  ever  entered  into  his  counsel,  or  known  his  purposes?  He  derives 
knowledge  from  none  of  his  creatures,  but  is  in  this,  as  in  all  things  else, 
independent  of  them  all. 

(35)  Or  who  hath  first  given  to  him,  and  it  shall  be  recompensed 
to  him  again  P  This  is  not  to  be  confined  to  giving  counsel  or  know- 
ledge to  God,  but  expresses  the  general  idea  that  the  creature  can  do 
nothing  to  place  God  under  obligation.  It  will  be  at  once  perceived 
how  appropriate  is  this  thought,  in  reference  to  the  doctrines  which  Paul 
had  been  teaching.  Men  are  justified,  not  on  the  ground  of  their  own 
merit,  but  of  the  merit  of  Christ;  they  are  sanctified,  not  by  the  power 
of  their  own  good  purposes,  and  the  strength  of  their  own  will,  but  by  the 
Spirit  of  God ;  they  are  chosen  and  called  to  eternal  life,  not  on  the 
ground  of  any  thing  in  them,  but  according  to  the  purpose  of  him  who 
worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will.  God,  therefore,  is 
the  Alpha  and  the  Omega  of  salvation.  The  creature  has  neither  merit 
nor  power.     His  hopes  must  rest  on  sovereign  mercy  alone. 

(36)  For  of  him,  and  through  him,  and  to  him,  are  all  things ;  to 
whom  be  glory  for  ever.  Amen.  The  reason  why  man  can  lay  God 
under  no  obligation,  is  that  God  is  himself  all  and  in  all ;  the  source, 
the  means,  and  the  end.  By  him  all  things  are ;  through  his  power, 
wisdom,  and  goodness  all  things  are  directed  and  governed;  and  to  him, 
as  their  last  end,  all  things  tend.  For  the  display  of  his  character,  every 
thing  exists  and  is  directed,  as  the  highest  and  noblest  of  all  possible 
objects.  Creatures  are  as  nothing,  less  than  vanity,  and  nothing,  in 
comparison  with  God.  Human  knowledge,  power,  and  virtue  are  mere 
glimmering  reflections  from  the  brightness  of  the  divine  glory.  That 
system  of  religion,  therefore,  is  best  in  accordance  with  the  character  of 
God,  the  nature  of  man,  and  the  end  of  the  universe,  in  which  all  things 
are  of,  through,  and  to  God  ;  and  which  most  effectually  leads  men  to 

say,  NOT  UNTO  us,  BUT  UNTO  THY  NAME  BE  ALL  THE  GLORY  ! 
DOCTRINES. 

1.  There  is  to  be  a  general  conversion  of  the  Jews,  concerning  which 
the  apostle  teaches  us,  1.  That  it  is  to  be  in  some  way  consequent  on 
the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles,  vs.  11,  31.    2.  That  it  will  be  attended 


ROMANS  11:  11—36.  283 

with  the  most  important  and  desirable  results  for  the  rest  of  the  world, 
vs.  12,  15.  3.  That  it  is  to  take  place  after  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles 
is  brought  in  ;  that  is,  after  the  conversion  of  multitudes  of  the  Gentiles, 
(how  many,  who  can  tell  ])  v.  25.  Nothing  is  said  of  this  restoration 
being  sudden,  or  eflfected  by  miracle,  or  consequent  on  the  second  advent, 
or  as  attended  by  a  restoration  of  the  Jews  to  their  ow^n  land.  These 
particulars  have  all  been  added  by  some  commentators,  either  from  their 
own  imagination,  or  from  their  views  of  other  portions  of  the  Scriptures. 
On  the  contrary,  it  is  through  the  mercy  shown  to  the  Gentiles^  accord- 
ing to  Paul,  that  the  Jews  are  to  be  brought  in,  which  clearly  implies 
that  the  former  are  to  be  instrumental  in  the  restoration  of  the  latter. 
And  he  everywhere  teaches  that,  after  their  restoration  to  the  church, 
the  distinction  between  Jew  and  Gentile  ceases.  In  Christ  there  is 
neither  Jew  nor  Greek,  Barbarian  nor  Scythian,  bond  nor  free.  Col.  3: 
11  ;  all  classes  are  merged  in  one,  as  was  the  case  under  the  direction 
of  the  apostles  in  the  first  ages  of  the  church. 

2.  The  church  of  God  is  the  same  in  all  ages,  and  under  all  dispensa- 
tions. It  is  the  society  of  the  true  people  of  God,  together  with  their 
children.  To  this  society  the  ancient  patriarchs  and  their  posterity  be- 
longed ;  into  this  society,  at  the  time  of  Christ,  other  nations  were 
admitted,  and  the  great  body  of  the  Jews  were  cast  out,  and  into  this 
same  community  the  ancient  people  of  God  are  to  be  again  received.  In 
every  stage  of  its  progress  the  church  is  the  same.  The  olive  tree  is 
one,  though  the  branches  are  numerous,  and  sometimes  changed,  vs. 
17—24. 

3.  The  web  of  Providence  is  wonderfully  w^oven.  Good  and  evil  are 
made  with  equal  certainty,  under  the  government  of  infinite  wisdom  and 
benevolence,  to  result  in  the  promotion  of  God's  gracious  and  glorious 
designs.  The  wicked  unbelief  and  consequent  rejection  of  the  Jews  are 
made  the  means  of  facilitating  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles  ;  the  holy 
faith  and  obedience  of  the  Gentiles  are  to  be  the  means  of  the  restoration 
of  the  Jews,  vs.  11,  31. 

4.  All  organized  communities,  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  have  a  common 
responsibility,  a  moral  personality,  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  are  dealt 
with  accordingly,  rewarded  or  punished  according  to  their  conduct,  as 
such.  As  their  organized  existence  is  confined  to  this  world,  so  must  the 
retributive  dispensations  of  God  respecting  them  be.  Witness  the  rejec- 
tion, dispersion,  and  sufferings  of  the  Jews,  as  a  national  punishment  for 
their  national  rejection  of  the  Messiah.  Witness  the  state  of  all  the 
eastern  churches  broken  off  from  the  olive  tree  for  the  unbelief  of  former 
generations.  Their  fathers  sinned,  and  their  children's  children,  to  the 
third  and  fourth  generation,  suffer  the  penalty,  as  they  share  in  the  guilt, 
vs.  11—24. 

5.  The  security  of  every  individual  Christian  is  suspended  on  his  con- 
tinuing in  faith  and  holy  obedience;  which  is  indeed  rendered  certain  by 
the  purpose  and  promise  of  God.     In  like  manner  the  security  of  every 


284  ROMANS  11:  11—36. 

civil  and  ecclesiastical  society,  in  the  enjoyment  of  its  peculiar  advan 
tages,  is  suspended  on  its  fidelity  as  such,  for  which  fidelity  there  is  no 
special  promise  Avith  regard  to  any  country,  or  any  church,  vs.  20 — 24. 

6.  God  does  sometimes  enter  into  covenant  with  communities,  as  such. 
Thus  he  has  covenanted  to  the  whole  human  race  that  the  world  shall 
not  be  again  destroyed  by  a  deluge,  and  that  the  seasons  shall  continue 
to  succeed  each  other,  in  regular  order,  until  the  end  of  time.  Thus  he 
covenanted  with  the  Jews  to  be  a  God  to  them,  and  to  their  seed,  for 
ever,  and  that  they  should  be  to  him  a  people.  This,  it  seems,  is  a  per- 
petual covenant,  which  continues  in  force  until  the  present  day,  and 
which  renders  certain  the  restoration  of  the  Jews  to  the  privileges  of  the 
church  of  God,  vs.  16,  28,  29. 

7.  It  is  the  radical  principle  of  the  Bible,  and  consequently  of  all  true 
religion,  that  God  is  all  and  in  all;  that  of  him,  and  through  him,  and  to 
him,  are  all  things.  It  is  the  tendency  of  all  truth  to  exal|,  God,  and  to 
humble  the  creature ;  and  it  is  characteristic  of  true  piety  to  feel  that  all 
good  comes  from  God,  and  to  desire  that  all  glory  should  be  given  to 

^od, 


1.  The  mutual  relation  between  the  Christian  church  and  the  Jews 
should  produce  in  the  minds  of  all  the  followers  of  Christ,  1.  An  abiding 
sense  of  our  obligations  to  the  Jews  as  the  people  through  whom  the 
true  religion  has  been  preserved,  and  the  blessings  of  divine  truth  ex- 
tended to  all  nations,  vs.  17,  18.  2.  Sincere  compassion  for  them,  be- 
cause their  rejection  and  misery  have  been  the  means  of  reconciling  the 
world  to  God,  i.  e.  of  extending  the  gospel  of  reconciliation  among  men, 
vs.  11,  12,  15.  3.  The  banishment  of  all  feelings  of  contempt  towards 
them,  or  exultation  over  them,  vs.  18,  20.  4.  An  earnest  desire,  prompt- 
ing to  prayer  and  effort,  for  their  restoration,  as  an  event  fraught  with 
blessings  to  them  and  to  all  the  world,  and  which  God  has  determined 
to  bring  to  pass,  vs.  12,  15,  25,  &;c. 

2.  The  dealings  of  God  with  his  ancient  people  should,  moreover, 
teach  us,  1.  That  we  have  no  security  for  the  continuance  of  our  privi 
leges  but  constant  fidelity,  v.  20.  2.  That,  consequently,  instead  of 
being  proud  and  self-confident,  we  should  be  humble  and  cautious,  vs. 
20,  21.  3.  That  God  will  probably  not  bear  with  us  as  long  as  he  bore 
Avith  the  Jews,  v.  21.  4.  That  if  for  our  unbelief  we  are  cast  out  of 
the  church,  our  punishment  will  probably  be  more  severe.  There  is  no 
special  covenant  securing  the  restoration  of  any  apostate  branch  of  the 
Christian  church,  vs.  21,  24,  with  16,  2T— 29. 

3.  It  is  a  great  blessing  to  be  connected  with  those  who  are  in  covenant 
with  God.  The  promise  is  "  to  thee  and  thy  seed  after  thee."  "The 
Lord  thy  God,  he  is  God,  the  faithful  God,  which  keepeth  covenant  and 
mercy  with  them  that  love  him  and  keep  his  commandments,  to  a  thou- 
sand generations,"  Deut.  7 :  9.     The  blessing  of  Abraham  reaches,  la 


ROMANS  11:  11—36.  285 

some  of  its  precious  consequences,  to  the  Jews  of  this  and  every  coming 
age,  vs.  16,  27—29. 

4.  The  destiny  of  our  children  and  our  children's  children  is  suspended, 
in  a  great  measure,  on  our  fidelity.  "  God  is  a  jealous  God,  visiting  the 
iniquities  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children  unto  the  third  and  fourth  gene- 
ration of  them  that  hate  him."  What  words  of  wo  for  unborn  thousands, 
were  those,  "  His  blood  be  on  us  and  on  our  children !"  As  the  Jews 
of  the  present  age  are  suffering  the  consequences  of  the  unbelief  of  their 
fathers,  and  the  nominal  Christians  of  the  eastern  churches  suffer  for  the 
apostasy  of  previous  generations,  so  will  our  children  perish,  if  we,  for 
our  unbelief  as  a  church  and  nation,  are  cast  off  from  God,  vs.  19 — 24. 

5.  As  the  restoration  of  the  Jews  is  not  only  a  most  desirable  event, 
but  one  which  God  has  determined  to  accomplish.  Christians  should  keep 
it  constantly  in  view  even  in  their  labours  for  the  conversion  of  the  Gen- 
tiles. This  Paul  did,  vs.  13,  14.  Every  effort  to  hasten  the  accession 
of  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  is  so  much  done  towards  the  restoration  of 
Israel,  v.  25. 

6.  Christians  should  not  feel  as  though  they  were  isolated  beings,  as 
if  each  one  need  be  concerned  for  himself  alone,  having  no  joint  respon- 
sibility with  the  community  to  which  he  belongs.  God  will  deal  with 
our  church  and  country  as  a  whole,  and  visit  our  sins  upon  those  who  are 
to  come  after  us.  We  should  feel,  therefore,  that  we  are  one  body,  mem- 
bers one  of  another,  having  common  interests  and  responsibilities.  We 
ought  to  weep  over  the  sins  of  the  community  to  which  we  belong,  as 
being  in  one  sense,  and  in  many  of  their  consequences,  our  sins, 
vs.  11— 24. 

7.  As  the  gifts  and  calling  of  God  are  without  repentance,  those  to 
whom  he  has  given  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  has  called  unto  holiness,  may 
rejoice  in  the  certainty  of  the  continuance  of  these  blessings,  v.  29. 

8.  Does  the  contemplation  of  the  work  of  redemption,  and  the  remem- 
brance of  our  own  experience,  lead  us  to  sympathize  with  the  apostle  in 
his  adoring  admiration  of  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God,  and  to  feel 
that,  as  it  regards  our  salvation,  every  thing  is  of  him,  through  him,  and 
to  him  ]  vs.  33—36. 

9.  As  it  is  the  tendency  and  result  of  all  correct  views  of  Christian 
doctrine  to  produce  the  feelings  expressed  by  the  apostle  at  the  close  of 
this  chapter,  those  views  cannot  be  scriptural  which  have  a  contrary  tend- 
ency ;  or  which  lead  us  to  ascribe,  in  any  form,  our  salvation  to  our  own 
merit  or  power,  vs.  33 — 33. 


286  ROMANS  12:  1--8. 


CHAPTER  XII 


CONTENTS. 


This  chapter  consists  of  two  parts.  The  first,  vs.  I — 8,  treats  of  piety 
towards  God,  and  the  proper  estimation  and  use  of  the  various  gifts  and 
offices  employed  or  exercised  in  the  church.  Tlie  second,  vs.  9 — 21, 
relates  to  love  and  its  various  manifestations  towards  different  classes 
of  men. 

CHAP.  12:  1—8. 

*I  beseech  you  therefore,  brethren,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  pre- 
sent your  bodies  a  living,  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God,  which  is 
your  reasonable  service.  "And  be  not  conformed  to  this  world  :  but  be  ye 
transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your  mind,  that  ye  may  prove  what  is  that 
good,  and  acceptable,  and  perfect  will  of  God.  ^For  I  say,  through  the 
grace  given  unto  me,  to  every  man  that  is  among  you,  not  to  think  (f  him- 
self more  highly  than  he  ought  to  think  ;  but  to  think  soberly,  according 
as  God  hath  dealt  to  every  man  the  measure  of  faith.  *For  as  we  have 
many  members  in  one  body,  and  all  members  have  not  the  same  office : 
^so  we,  being  many,  are  one  body  in  Christ,  and  every  one  members  one 
of  another.  ^Having  then  gifts  differing  according  to  the  grace  that  is 
given  to  us,  whether  prophecy,  let  us  prophesy  according  to  the  propor- 
tion of  faith;  ''or  ministry,  let  us  wait  on  our  ministering:  or  he  that 
teacheth,  on  teaching;  ^or  he  thatexhorteth,on  exhortation  :  he  thatgiveth, 
let  him  do  it  with  simplicity  ;  he  that  ruleth,  with  diligence ;  he  that 
showeth  mercy^  with  cheerfulness. 

ANALYSIS. 

As  the  apostle  had  concluded  the  doctrinal  portion  of  the  epistle  with 
the  preceding  chapter,  agreeably  to  his  almost  uniform  practice,  he 
deduces  from  his  doctrines  important  practical  lessons.  The  first  deduc- 
tion from  the  exhibition  which  he  had  made  of  the  mercy  of  God  in  the 
redemption  of  men,  is,  that  they  should  devote  themselves  to  him  as  a 
living  sacrifice,  and  be  conformed  to  his  will,  and  not  to  the  manners  of 
the  world,  vs.  1,  2.  The  second  is,  that  they  should  be  humble,  and  not 
allow  the  diversity  of  their  gifts  to  destroy  the  sense  of  their  unity  as  one 
body  in  Christ,  vs.  3 — 5.  These  various  gifts  were  to  be  exercised,  not 
for  selfish  purposes,  but  in  a  manner  consistent  with  their  nature  and 
design  ;  diligently,  disinterestedly,  and  kindly,  vs.  6 — 8. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1)  I  beseech  you,  therefore,  brethren,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  &c. 
As  the  sum  of  all  that  Paul  had  said  of  the  justification,  sanctification, 


ROMANS  12:  1— S.  287 

and  salvation  of  men  is,  thai  these  results  are  to  be  attributed,  not  to  human 
merit  nor  to  human  efforts,  but  to  the  mercy  of  God,  he  brings  the  whole 
discussion  to  bear  as  a  motive  for  devotion  to  God.  Whatever  grati- 
tude the  soul  feels  for  pardon,  purity,  and  the  sure  prospect  of  eternal 
life,  is  called  forth  to  secure  its  consecration  to  that  God  who  is  the  author 
of  all  these  mercies. 

That  ye  present  your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto 
God.  All  the  expressions  of  this  clause  seem  to  have  an  obvious  reference 
to  the  services  of  the  Old  Testament  economy.  Under  that  dispensation, 
animals  free  from  blemish  were  presented  and  devoted  to  God  ;  under  the 
new  dispensation  a  nobler  and  more  spiritual  service  is  to  be  rendered  ; 
not  the  oblation  of  animals,  but  the  consecration  of  ourselves.  The  ex- 
pression your  bodies  is  perhaps  nearly  equivalent  to  yourselves ;  yet 
Paul  probably  used  it  with  design,  not  only  because  it  is  appropriate  to 
the  figure,  but  because  he  wished  to  render  the  idea  prominent  that  the  - 
whole  man,  body  as  well  as  soul,  is  to  be  devoted  to  the  service  of 
God.  "Ye  are  bought  with  a  price;  therefore  glorify  God  in  your  body, 
and  in  your  spirits  which  are  God's,"  1  Cor.  6  :  20.  'J'he  apostle  carries 
the  figure  out ;  the  sacrifice  is  to  be  living,  holy,  and  acceptable.  The 
first  of  these  epithets  is  generally  considered  as  intended  to  express  the 
contrast  between  the  sacrifice  here  intended,  and  the  victims  which  were 
placed  lifeless  upon  the  altar ;  thus  believers,  in  1  Pet.  2  :  5,  are  called 
"  living  stones"  in  opposition  to  the  senseless  materials  employed  in  a 
literal  building.  The  word  living,  however,  may  mean  perpetual,  last- 
ing, never  neglected;  as  in  the  phrases  "living  bread,"  John  6:  51, 
'  bread  which  never  loses  its  power ;'  "  living  hope,"  1  Pet.  1:3,'  hope 
which  never  fails  ;'  "  living  waters,'  "  a  living  way,"  &c.  The  sacrifice 
then  which  we  are  to  make  is  not  a  transient  service  like  the  oblation  of 
a  victim  which  was  in  a  few  moments  consumed  upon  the  altar,  but  it  is 
a  living  or  perpetual  sacrifice  never  to  be  neglected  or  recalled.  The 
epithet  holy  has  probably  direct  reference  to  the  frequent  use  of  a  nearly 
corresponding  word  in  the  Hebrew  scriptures,  which,  when  applied  to 
sacrifices,  is  commonly  rendered  without  blemish.  The  word  holy  is  then 
in  this  case  equivalent  to  immaculate,  i.  e.  free  from  those  defects  which 
would  cause  an  offering  to  be  rejected.  The  term  acceptable  is  here  used 
in  the  same  sense  as  the  phrase  "  for  a  sweet  smelling  savour,"  Eph.  5 : 
2.  Phil.  4  :  18.  Lev.  1:  9,1.  e.  grateful,  well-pleasing ;  a  sacrifice  in 
which  God  delights. 

Your  reasonable  service.  There  is  doubt  as  to  the  grammatical  con- 
struction of  this  clause.  The  most  natural  and  simple  explanation  is  to 
consider  it  in  apposition  with  the  preceding  member  of  the  sentence,  as 
has  been  done  by  our  translators,  who  supply  the  words  luhich  is.  This 
consecration  of  ourselves  to  God,  which  the  apostle  requires,  is  a  reason- 
able service.  The  word  rendered  reasonable  is  variously  explained.  The 
simplest  interpretation  is  that  which  takes  the  word  in  its  natural  sense, 
viz.  pertaining  to  the  mind ;  it  is  a  mental  or  spiritual  service  in  opposi- 


288  ROMANS  12:  1—8. 

tion  to  ceremonial  and  external  observances.  Compare  the  phrase  *  milk 
suited,  or  pertaining  to  the  mind,'  1  Pet.  2  :  2.  Others  understand  these 
words  as  expressing  the  difference  between  the  sacrifices  under  the 
Christian  dispensation  and  those  under  the  Old.  Formerly  animals 
destitute  of  reason  were  offered  unto  God,  but  now  men  possessed  of  a 
rational  soul.  But  this  interpretation  is  neither  so  well  suited  to  the 
meaning  of  the  word,  nor  does  it  give  a  sense  so  consistent  with  the 
context. 

(2)  Mnd  he  not  conformed  to  this  tvorld,  but  be  ye  tramformed  by  the 
renewing  of  your  mind^  &c.  Not  only  is  God  to  be  worshipped  in 
spirit  and  in  truth,  as  required  in  the  preceding  verse,  but  there  must  be 
a  corresponding  holiness  of  life.  This  idea  is  expressed  in  the  manner 
most  common  with  the  sacred  writers.  Regarding  men  universally  as 
corrupted  and  devoted  to  sin,  the  world  is  with  them  equivalent  to  the 
wicked;  to  be  conformed  to  the  world,  therefore,  is  to  he  like  unrenewed 
men  in  temper  and  in  life.  The  word  accurately  rendered  covformed 
expresses  strongly  the  idea  of  similarity  in  character  and  manners  ;  and 
that  rendered  tramformed  expresses  with  equal  strength  the  opposite 
idea.  This  world.  The  origin  of  this  term,  as  used  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, is  no  doubt  to  be  sought  in  the  mode  of  expression  so  common 
among  the  Jews,  who  were  accustomed  to  distinguish  between  the  times 
before,  and  the  times  under  the  Messiah,  by  calling  the  former  period  this 
worlds  or  this  age,  and  the  latter,  the  world,  or  age  to  come.  The  former 
phrase  thus  naturally  came  to  designate  those  who  were  without,  and  the 
latter  those  who  were  within  the  kingdom  of  Christ;  they  are  equivalent 
to  the  expressions  the  world  and  the  church ;  the  mass  of  mankind  and 
the  people  of  God  ;  com.  1  Cor.  2  :  8.  Eph.  2  :  2.  2  Cor.  4  :  4. 

By  the  renewing  of  your  mind.  This  phrase  is  intended  to  te  ex- 
planatory of  the  preceding.  The  transformation  to  which  Christians  are 
exhorted,  is  not  a  mere  external  change,  but  one  which  results  from  a 
change  of  heart,  an  entire  alteration  of  the  state  of  the  mind.  The  word 
rendered  mind  is  used,  as  it  is  here,  frequently  in  the  New  Testament, 
Rom.  1 :  28.  Eph.  4  :  17,  23.  Col.  2  :  18,  &c.,  in  all  these  and  in  similar 
cases  it  does  not  differ  from  the  word  heart. 

That  ye  may  be  able  to  prove  what  is  that  good  and  acceptable  and 
perfect  will  of  God.  The  logical  relation  of  this  clause  to  the  preced- 
ing is  doubtful,  as  the  original  admits  of  its  being  regarded  as  express- 
ing either  the  design  or  the  result  of  the  change  just  spoken  of.  Our 
translators  have  adopted  the  former  view,  '  Ye  are  renewed,  in  order  that 
ye  may  be  able  to  prove,  &c.'  The  other,  however,  gives  an  equally 
good  sense,  « Ye  are  renewed  so  that  ye  prove,'  &c. ;  such  is  the  effect 
of  the  change  in  question.  The  word  rendered  to  prove  signifies  also  to 
approve ;  the  sense  of  this  passage,  therefore,  may  be  either  '  that  ye 
may  try  or  prove  what  is  acceptable  to  God,'  i.  e.  decide  upon  or  ascer- 
tain what  is  right;  or,  *  that  ye  may  approve  what  is  good,'  &c.  The 
words  goodf  acceptable,  and  perfect,  are  by  many  considered  as  predicates 


ROMANS  12:  1—8.  289 

of  the  word  will.  As,  however,  the  expression  *  acceptable  will  of  God' 
is  unnatural  and  unusual,  the  majority  of  modern  commentators  take  them 
as  substantives;  'that  ye  may  approve  what  is  good,  acceptable  and 
perfect,  viz.  the  will  of  God.'  The  last  phrase  is  then  in  apposition  with 
the  others.  The  design  and  result  then  of  that  great  change  of  which 
Paul  speaks  is,  that  Christians  should  know,  delight  in,  and  practise 
whatever  is  good  and  acceptable  to  God  ;  compare  Eph.  5  :  10, 17.  Phil. 
4:8. 

(3)  For  I  say  through  the  grace  given  unto  me,  to  every  man  that 
is  among  you,  not  to  think  of  himself  more  highly  than  he  ought  to 
think,  &c.  The  apostle  connects  with  the  general  exhortation  contained 
in  the  preceding  verses,  and  founds  upon  it,  an  exhortation  to  special 
Christian  virtues.  The  first  virtue  which  he  enjoins  upon  believers  is 
modesty  or  humility.  This  has  reference  specially  to  the  officers  of  the 
church,  or  at  least  to  the  recipients  of  spiritual  gifts.  It  is  very  evident 
from  1  Cor.  12  and  14,  that  these  gifts  were  coveted  and  exercised  by 
many  of  the  early  Christians  for  the  purpose  of  self-exaltation.  They, 
therefore,  desired  not  those  which  were  most  useful,  but  those  which  were 
most  attractive ;  and  some  were  puffed  up,  while  others  were  envious  and 
discontented.  This  evil  the  apostle  forcibly  and  beautifully  reproved  in 
the  chapters  referred  to,  in  the  same  manner  that  he  does  here,  and  much 
more  at  length. 

Through  the  grace  given  unto  me.  The  word  grace  in  this  clause  is 
by  many  understood  to  mean  the  apostolic  office,  which  Paul  elsewhere 
speaks  of  as  a  great  favour;  com.  ch.  1:5.  15  :  15.  Eph.  3  :  2,  8.  But 
this  interpretation  appears  here  too  limited ;  the  word  probably  includes 
all  the  favour  of  God  towards  him,  not  merely  in  conferring  on  him  the 
office  of  an  apostle,  but  in  bestowing  all  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  ordinary 
and  extraordinary,  which  qualified  him  for  his  duties,  and  gave  authority 
to  his  instructions. 

Not  to  think  of  himself  more  highly  than  he  ought  to  think.  The 
word  to  think  is  an  inadequate  translation  of  the  Greek,  inasmuch  as  the 
latter  includes  the  idea  of  the  exercise  of  the  affections  as  well  as  of  the 
intellect ;  see  ch.  8  :  5.  Col.  3  :  2.  Phil.  3:19.  To  think  of  oneself  too 
highly  is  to  be  puffed  up  with  an  idea  of  our  own  importance  and  supe- 
riority. 

But  to  think  soberly,  according  as  God  hath  dealt  to  every  man  the 
measure  of  faith.  The  word  rendered  soberly  properly  means  to  be  of  a 
sane  mind ;  and  then  to  be  moderate,  or  temperate.  Paul  speaks  of  one 
who  overestimates  or  praises  himself  as  being  beside  himself;  and  of 
him  who  is  modest  and  humble  as  being  of  a  sane  mind,  i.  e,  as  making 
a  proper  estimate  of  himself.  "  For  whether  we  be  beside  ourselves,  it 
is  to  God ;  or  whether  we  be  sober,  it  is  for  your  cause,"  2  Cor.  5  :  13, 
i.  e.  '  If  we  commend  ourselves,  it  is  that  God  may  be  honoured  ;  and  if 
we  act  modestly  and  abstain  from  self-commendation,  it  is  that  you  may 
be  benefited.'     To  think  soberly,  therefore,  is  to  form  and  manifest  a 

2B 


290  ROMANS  12:  1—8. 

right  estimate  of  ourselves,  and  of  our  gifts.  A  right  estimate  can  neve*- 
be  other  than  a  very  humble  one,  since,  whatever  there  is  of  good  in  us  is 
not  of  ourselves,  but  of  God. 

The  expression  TTieasure  or  f»ro/)or//on  of  faith  is  variously  explained. 
Faith  may  be  taken  in  its  usual  sense,  and  the  meaning  of  the  clause  be, 
*  Let  every  one  think  of  himself  according  to  the  degree  of  faith  or  confi- 
dence in  God  which  has  been  imparted  to  him,  and  not  as  though  he  had 
more  than  he  really  possesses.'  Ox  faith  may  be  taken  for  what  is  be- 
lieved, or  for  knowledge  of  divine  truth,  and  the  sense  be,  'according  to 
the  degree  of  knowledge  which  he  has  attained.'  Or  it  may  be  taken  for 
that  tvhich  is  confided  to  any,  and  be  equivalent  to  gift.  The  sense  then 
is,  '  Let  every  one  think  of  himself  according  to  the  nature  or  character 
of  the  gifts  which  he  has  received.'  This  is  perhaps  the  most  generally 
received  interpretation,  though  the  first  is  certainly  more  natural :  either, 
however,  gives  a  good  sense. 

(4,  5)  For  as  we  have  many  members  in  one  body,  and  all  members  have 
not  the  same  office  ;  so  we,  &c.  In  these  verses  we  have  the  same  com- 
parison that  occurs  more  at  length  in  1  Cor.  12,  and  for  the  same  purpose. 
The  object  of  the  apostle  is  in  both  cases  the  same.  He  designs  to  show 
that  the  diversity  of  offices  and  gifts  among  Christians,  so  far  from  being 
inconsistent  with  their  union  as  one  body  in  Christ,  is  necessary  to  the 
perfection  and  usefulness  of  that  body.  It  would  be  as  unreasonable  for 
all  Christians  to  have  the  same  gifts,  as  for  all  the  members  of  the  human 
frame  to  have  the  same  office.  This  comparison  is  peculiarly  beautiful 
and  appropriate;  because  it  not  only  clearly  illustrates  the  particular 
point  intended,  but  at  the  same  time  brings  into  view  the  important  truth 
that  the  real  union  of  Christians  results  from  the  indwelling  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  as  the  union  of  the  several  members  of  the  body  is  the  result  of 
their  being  all  animated  and  actuated  by  one  soul.  Nothing  can  present 
in  a  clearer  light  the  duty  of  Christian  fellowship,  or  the  sinfulness  of 
divisions  and  envyings  among  the  members  of  Christ's  body  than  the 
apostle's  comparison.  '  Believers,  though  many,are  one  body  in  Christ, 
and  every  one  members  one  of  another.' 

(6)  Having,  therefore,  gifts  differing  according  to  the  grace  given 
unto  us,  &c.  In  this  and  the  following  verses  we  have  the  application 
of  the  preceding  comparison  to  the  special  object  in  view.  '  If  Chris- 
tians are  all  members  of  the  same  body,  having  different  ofl^ices  and  gifts, 
instead  of  being  puffed  up  one  above  another,  and  instead  of  envying  and 
opposing  each  other,  they  should  severally  discharge  their  respective 
duties,  diligently  and  humbly,  for  the  good  of  the  whole,  and  not  for 
their  own  advantage.'  There  is  no  appearance  of  systematic  arrange- 
ment in  this  passage ;  on  the  contrary,  Paul  seems  to  refer  without  any 
order  to  the  various  duties  which  the  officers  and  even  private  members 
of  the  church  were  called  upon  to  perform.  The  construction  in  the 
original  is  not  entirely  regular,  and,  therefore,  has  been  variously  ex- 
plained.    There  is  no  interpretation  more  natural  than  that  adopted  by 


ROMANS  12:  1—8.  291 

our  translators,  who,  considering  the  passage  as  elliptical,  have  supplied 
in  the  several  specifications  the  phrases  v^^hich  in  each  case  the  sense 
requires. 

Having,  therefore,  gifts  differing  according  to  the  grace  given  unto 
us,  i.  e.  as  there  are  in  the  one  body  various  offices  and  gifts,  let  every 
one  act  in  a  manner  consistent  with  the  nature  and  design  of  the  particu- 
lar gift  which  he  has  received.  Whether  prophecy,  let  us  prophesy  ac- 
cording to  the  proportion  of  faith.  The  first  gift  specified  is  that  of 
prophecy,  with  regard  to  the  precise  nature  of  which  there  is  no  little 
diversity  of  opinion.  The  original  and  proper  meaning  of  the  Hebrew 
word  rendered  prophet  in  the  Old  Testament  is  interpreter,  one  who 
explains  or  delivers  the  will  of  another.  And  to  this  idea  the  Greek  term 
also  answers.  It  matters  little  whether  the  will  or  purpose  of  God  which 
the  prophets  were  called  upon  to  deliver,  had  reference  to  present  duty 
or  to  future  events.  They  derived  their  Hebrew  name,  not  from  predict- 
ing what  was  to  come  to  pass,  which  was  but  a  small  part  of  their  duty, 
but  from  being  the  interpreters  of  God,  men  who  spoke  in  his  name. 
We  accordingly  find  the  term  prophet  applied  to  all  classes  of  religious 
teachers  under  the  old  dispensation.  See  Gen.  20:  7.  Deut.  18:  18; 
and  particularly  Ex.  7:1,  "  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  See,  I  have 
made  thee  a  god  unto  Pharaoh ;  and  Aaron  thy  brother  shall  be  thy  pro- 
phet," i.  e.  thy  interpreter.  In  ch.  4:  16,  it  is  said,  "He  shall  be  a 
mouth  to  thee,"  which  expresses  the  same  idea.  And  this  is  also  the 
sense  of  the  word  in  the  New  Testament ;  it  is  applied  to  any  one  em- 
ployed to  deliver  a  divine  message.  Matt.  10  :  41.  13  :  57.  Luke  4  :  24. 
7:  26—29.  John  4:  19.  Acts  15:  32.  1  Cor.  12:  28.  14:  29—32. 
From  these  and  numerous  similar  passages  it  appears  that  the  prophets 
in  the  Christian  church  were  men  who  spoke  under  the  immediate  influ- 
ence of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  delivered  some  divine  communication  re- 
lating to  doctrinal  truths,  to  present  duty,  to  future  events,  &c.,  as  the 
case  might  be.  The  point  of  distinction  between  them  and  the  apostles, 
considered  as  religious  teachers,  appears  to  have  been,  that  the  inspira- 
tion of  the  apostles  was  abiding,  they  were  the  infallible  and  authorita- 
tive messengers  of  Christ;  whereas  the  inspiration  of  the  prophets  was 
occasional  and  transient.  The  latter  differed  from  the  teachers,  inas- 
much as  these  were  not  necessarily  inspired,  but  taught  to  others  what 
they  themselves  had  learned  from  the  Scriptures,  or  from  inspired  men. 

The  gift  of  which  Paul  here  speaks  is  not,  therefore,  the  faculty  of 
predicting  future  events,  but  that  of  immediate  occasional  inspiration, 
leading  the  recipient  to  deliver,  as  the  mouth  of  God,  the  particular  com- 
munication which  he  had  received,  whether  designed  for  instruction, 
exhortation,  or  comfort.  The  apostle  required  that  those  who  enjoyed 
this  gift  should  exercise  it  according  to  the  proportion  of  faith.  This 
clause  admits  of  different  interpretations.  The  word  rendered  proportion 
may  mean  either  proportion  or  measure,  rule,  standard.  Classic  usage 
is  rather  in  favour  of  the  former  of  these  meanings,  &c.    The  latter, 


292  ROMANS  12:  1—8. 

however,  is  necessarily  included  in  the  former ;  and  the  word  is  defined  by 
Hesychius,  measure,  canon,  or  rule.  The  choice  between  the  two  nuean- 
ings  of  the  word  must  depend  on  the  sense  given  to  the  word  failh,  and 
on  the  context.  Faith  may  here  mean  inward  confidence  or  belief;  or  it 
may  mean  the  gift  received,  i.  e.  that  which  is  confided',  or,  finally,  that 
which  is  believed,  i.  e.  truths  divinely  revealed.  U  faith  here  means, 
as  it  does  in  so  many  other  places,  the  object  of  faith,  or  the  truths  to  be 
believed  (see  Gal.  1 :  23.  3  :  23,  25.  6  :  10.  Eph.  4  :  5.  1  Thess.  3  :  5, 
&c.  &c.),  then  according  to  the  analogy  signifies  agreeably  to  the  rule 
or  standard,  and  the  apostle's  direction  to  the  prophets  is,  that  in  all  their 
communications  they  are  to  conform  to  the  rule  of  faith,  and  not  contra- 
dict those  doctrines  which  had  been  delivered  by  men  whose  inspiration 
had  been  established  by  indubitable  evidence.  In  favour  of  this  view  of 
the  passage  is  the  frequent  use  of  the  word  faith  in  the  sense  thus  as- 
signed to  it.  2.  The  fact  that  similar  directions  respecting  those  who 
consider  themselves  prophets,  or  inspired  persons,  occur  in  other  pas- 
sages. 1  Cor.  14:  37.  iJohn  4  :  1,  6.  3.  This  interpretation  is  also 
perfectly  suitable  to  the  context.  Paul,  after  giving  the  general  direc- 
tion contained  in  the  preceding  verses,  as  to  the  light  in  which  the  gifts 
of  the  Spirit  were  to  be  viewed,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  were  to 
be  used,  in  this  and  the  following  verses,  gives  special  directions  with 
respect  to  particular  gifts.  Those  who  thought  themselves  prophets 
should  be  careful  to  speak  nothing  but  truth,  to  conform  to  the  standard  ; 
those  who  ministered  should  devote  themselves  to  their  appropriate 
duties,  &c.  If  the  first  sense  of  the  word  faith  mentioned  above  be 
adopted,  then  the  meaning  of  the  passage  is,  'Let  him  prophesy  accord- 
ing to  his  internal  convictions ;  that  is,  he  must  not  exceed  in  his  com- 
munications what  he  honestly  believes  to  have  been  divinely  communi- 
cated, or  allow  himself  to  be  carried  away  by  enthusiasm  to  deliver,  as 
from  God,  what  is  really  nothing  but  his  own  thoughts.' 

(7)  Or  ministry,  let  us  wait  on  our  ministering  ;  or  he  that  teacheth, 
on  teaching.  The  terms  mi7iister  and  ministry  (^deacon  and  deaconship) 
are  used  in  the  New  Testament  both  in  a  general  and  a  restricted  sense. 
In  the  former  they  are  employed  in  reference  to  all  classes  of  ecclesiasti- 
cal officers,  even  the  apostles  ;  see  1  Cor.  3  :  5.  2  Cor.  6:  4.  Eph.  3  :  7. 
6:21.  Col.  1:7,  23.  1  Tim.  4  :  6.  See  also  Acts  1 :  17,  25.  20:24. 
Rom.  11  :  13.  1  Cor.  12  :  5.  2  Cor.  4  :  1,  &c.  &c.  In  the  latter  they  are 
used  in  reference  to  a  particular  class  of  officers,  to  whom  were  commit- 
ted the  management  of  the  external  affairs  of  the  church,  the  care  of  the 
poor,  attention  to  the  sick,  &c. ;  see  Acts  6 :  1 — 3.  Phil.  1:1.  1  Tim.  3  : 
8 — 13,  &c.  It  is  doubtful  in  which  of  these  senses  the  latter  of  the 
above  mentioned  words  is  here  used  by  the  apostle;  most  probably  in 
the  restricted  sense.  The  apostle  exhorts  different  classes  of  officers  to 
attend  to  their  own  peculiar  vocation,  and  to  exercise  their  own  gifts, 
without  intruding  into  the  sphere  of  others,  or  envying  their  superioi 


ROMANS  12:  1—8.  293 

endowments.     The  deacons,  therefore,  were  to  attend  to  the  poor  and 
the  sick,  and  not  attempt  to  exercise  the  office  of  teachers. 

He  that  teachetk,  on  teaching.  Teachers  are  elsewhere  expressly 
distinguished  from  prophets,  1  Cor.  12 :  28,  29,  "  God  hath  set  some  in 
the  church;  first,  apostles;  secondarily,  prophets;  thirdly,  teachers. 
Are  all  apostles  1  are  all  prophets?  are  all  teachers?  are  all  workers  of 
miracles?"  And  in  this  passage  they  are  not  to  be  confounded,  nor  is 
teaching  to  be  regarded,  in  this  place,  as  one  part  of  prophesying.  Those 
who  had  the  gift  of  prophecy  were  to  exercise  it  aright ;  those  who  were 
called  to  the  office  of  deacons  were  to  devote  themselves  to  their  appro- 
priate duties  ;  and  those  who  had  the  gift  of  teaching  were  to  teach. 

(8)  He  that  exhorteth,  on  exhortation.  The  word  here  used  means  to 
invite,  exhort,  and  to  comfort.  Our  translators  have  probably  selected  the 
most  appropriate  sense.  There  was  probably  no  distinct  class  of  officers 
called  exhorters,  as  distinguished  from  teachers  ;  but  as  the  apostle  is 
speaking  of  gifts  as  well  as  offices,  his  direction  is,  that  he  who  had  the 
gift  of  teaching  should  teach,  and  that  he  who  had  a  gift  for  exhortation 
should  be  content  to  exhort. 

He  that  giveth,  let  him  do  it  with  simplicity ,-  he  that  ruleth,  with 
diligence;  he  that  showeth  mercy,  with  cheerfulness.  These  directions 
have  reference  to  the  manner  in  which  the  duties  of  church  officers  and 
of  private  Christians  ought  to  be  performed.  In  this  connexion,  the 
former  no  doubt  are  principally,  though  not  exclusively,  intended.  He 
that  giveth,  with  simplicity.  This  direction,  considered  in  reference  to 
the  deacons,  whom,  no  doubt,  Paul  had  principally  in  view,  contemplates 
their  duty  of  imparting  or  distributing  to  the  necessity  of  the  saints. 
This  duty  they  are  required  to  perform  with  simplicity,  i.  e.  with  purity 
of  motive,  free  from  all  improper  designs.  This  same  word  is  ren- 
dered singleness  of  heart  in  Eph.  6:  5.  Col.  3:  22,  and  occurs,  in  the 
same  sense,  in  the  phrase  "  simplicity  and  godly  sincerity,"  2  Cor.  1 :  12. 
Considered  in  reference  to  private  Christians,  this  clause  may  be  rendered 
he  that  giveth,  ivith  liberality;  see  2  Cor.  8:  2.  9:  11,  13. 

He  that  ruleth,  with  diligence.  Here  again  the  right  discharge  of 
ecclesiastical  duties  is  principally  intended ;  1  Thess.  5 :  12,  "  We  be- 
seech you,  brethren,  to  know  (esteem,  love)  them  that  are  over  you  in  the 
Lord  ;"  1  Tim.  5  :  17,  "The  elders  that  rule  well."  Some  of  the  pres- 
byters were  teachers  and  others  rulers,  according  to  their  gifts.  Those 
who  were  called  to  exercise  the  office  of  ruler  were  required  to  do  it  with 
diligence,  i.  e.  with  attention  and  zeal.  This  is  opposed  to  inertness  and 
carelessness.  The  government  of  the  church,  in  correcting  abuses,  pre- 
venting disorders,  and  in  the  administration  of  discipline,  calls  for  constant 
vigilance  and  fidelity. 

He  that  showeth  mercy,  with  cheerfulness.  As  the  former  direction 
(he  that  giveth,  with  simplicity)  had  reference  to  the  care  of  the  poor, 
this  relates  to  the  care  of  the  sick  and  afflicted.  These  were  the  two 
great  departments  of  the  deacon's  duties.    The  former  was  to  be  dis- 

2b2 


294  ROMANS  12:  1—8. 

charged  with  honesty,  this  with  cheerfulness ;  not  as  a  matter  of  con 
straint,  but  with  alacrity  and  kindness.  On  this  the  value  of  any  service 
rendered  to  the  children  of  sorrow  mainly  depends. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  The  great  principle  that  truth  is  in  order  to  holiness,  which  is  so 
frequently  taught  in  the  Scriptures,  is  plainly  implied  in  this  passage. 
All  the  doctrines  of  justification,  grace,  election,  and  final  salvation, 
taught  in  the  preceding  part  of  the  epistle,  are  made  the  foundation  for 
the  practical  duties  enjoined  in  this,  v.  1. 

2.  The  first  great  duty  of  redeemed  sinners  is  the  dedication  of 
themselves  to  God.  This  consecration  must  be  entire,  of  the  body  as  well 
as  the  soul ;  it  must  be  constant  and  according  to  his  will,  v.  1. 

3.  Regeneration  is  a  renewing  of  the  mind,  evincing  itself  in  a  trans- 
formation of  the  whole  character,  and  leading  to  the  knowledge  and 
approbation  of  whatever  is  acceptable  to  God,  v.  2. 

4.  God  is  the  giver  of  all  good,  of  honours  and  offices  as  well  as  of 
talents  and  graces;  and  in  the  distribution  of  his  favours  he  renders  to 
every  man  according  to  his  own  will,  vs.  3,  6. 

5.  Christians  are  one  body  in  Christ.  This  unity  is  not  only  consist- 
ent with  great  diversity  of  gifts,  but  necessarily  implies  it;  as  the  body 
is  one  from  the  union  of  various  members  designed  for  the  performance 
of  various  functions,  vs.  4,  5. 

6.  The  different  offices  of  the  church  are  of  divine  appointment,  and  are 
designed  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  body,  and  not  for  the  advantage  of 
those  who  hold  them,  vs.  6 — 8. 


1.  The  effect  produced  upon  us  by  the  mercies  of  God,  in  redemption, 
and  in  his  providence,  affords  an  excellent  criterion  of  character.  If  they 
lead  us  to  devote  ourselves  to  his  service,  they  produce  the  result  for 
which  they  were  designed,  and  we  may  conclude  that  we  are  of  the  num- 
ber of  his  children.  But  if  they  produce  indifference  to  duty,  and  cherish 
the  idea  that  we  are  the  special  favourites  of  heaven,  or  that  we  may  sin 
with  impunity,  it  is  an  evidence  that  our  hearts  are  not  right  in  the  sight 
of  God,  V.  1. 

2.  While  Christians  should  remember  that  the  service  which  they  are 
called  upon  to  render  is  a  rational  service,  pertaining  to  the  soul,  they 
should  not  suppose  that  it  consists  merely  in  the  secret  exercises  of  the 
heart.  The  whole  man  and  the  whole  life  must  be  actively  and  con- 
stantly devoted  to  God,  v.  1. 

3.  Those  professors  of  religion  who  are  conformed  to  the  world  cannot 
have  experienced  that  renewing  of  the  mind,  which  produces  a  transfor- 
mation of  character,  v.  2. 

4.  Self-conceit  and  ambition  are  the  besetting  sins  of  men  intrusted 
with  power,  or  highly  gifted  in  any  respect,  as  discontent  and  envy  ar© 


ROMANS  12:  1— a  >  295 

those  to  which  persons  of  inferior  station  or  gifts  are  most  exposed. 
These  evil  feelings,  so  offensive  to  God,  virould  be  subdued  if  men  would 
properly  lay  to  heart  that  peculiar  advantages  are  bestowed  according  to 
the  divine  pleasure  ;  that  they  are  designed  to  advance  the  glory  of  God, 
and  good  of  his  church,  and  not  the  honour  or  emolument  of  those  that 
receive  them ;  and  that  very  frequently  those  which  are  least  attractive  in 
the  sight  of  men,  are  the  most  important  in  the  sight  of  God.  It  is  here 
as  in  the  human  frame  ;  not  the  most  comely  parts  are  the  most  valuable 
but  those  which  are  the  least  so.  The  vital  parts  of  our  system  never 
attract  the  praise  of  men,  and  are  never  the  source  of  vanity  or  pride, 
V.  3. 

5.  As  Christians  are  one  body  in  Christ,  they  should  feel  their  mutual 
dependence  and  their  common  interest  in  their  head,  from  whom  life, 
intelligence,  enjoyment,  and  every  good  comes.  They  should  sympa- 
thize in  each  other's  joys  and  sorrows  ;  the  hand  should  not  envy  the  eye, 
nor  the  eye  despise  the  foot.  How  can  they,  who  are  destitute  of  this 
common  feeling  with  their  fellow  Christians,  be  partakers  of  that  Spirit 
by  which  true  believers  are  constituted  really  and  not  merely  nominally 
one  1  vs.  4,  5. 

6.  Real  honour  consists  in  doing  well  what  God  calls  us  to  do,  and  not 
in  the  possession  of  high  offices  or  great  talents,  vs.  6 — 8. 

7.  No  man's  usefulness  is  increased  by  going  out  of  his  sphere.  It  is  a 
great  mistake  to  suppose  because  one  profession  or  employment  may,  in 
itself  considered,  afford  better  opportunity  of  doing  good  than  another, 
that,  therefore,  any  or  every  man  would  be  more  useful  in  the  one  than 
in  the  other.  The  highest  improvement  of  the  individual,  and  the  great- 
est good  of  the  whole,  are  best  secured  by  each  being  and  doing  what 
God  sees  fit  to  determine.  If  all  were  the  same  member,  where  were  the 
body  1  '  God  is  not  the  author  of  confusion,  but  of  order,  in  all  the 
churches  of  the  saints,'  vs.  6 — 8. 

8.  No  amount  of  learning,  no  superiority  of  talent,  nor  even  the  pre- 
tension to  inspiration,  can  justify  a  departure  from  the  analogy  of  faith, 
i.  e.  from  the  truths  taught  by  men  to  whose  inspiration  God  has  borne 
witness.  All  teachers  must  be  brought  to  this  standard  ;  and  even  if  an 
angel  from  heaven  should  preach  in  contradiction  to  the  Scriptures,  he 
should  be  regarded  as  anathema.  Gal.  1:8.  It  is  a  matter  of  constant 
gratitude  that  we  have  such  a  standard  whereby  to  try  the  spirits  whether 
they  be  of  God.  Ministers  of  Christ  should  see  to  it,  that  they  do  not 
incur  the  curse  which  Paul  denounces  on  those  who  preach  another  gos- 
pel, V.  6. 

9.  Private  Christians,  but  especially  ecclesiastical  officers,  are  required 
to  discharge  their  respective  duties  with  singleness  of  heart,  and  in  the 
exercise  of  those  virtues  which  the  peculiar  nature  of  their  vocation  may 
demand,  vs.  6 — 8. 


296  ROMANS  12:  9—21. 


CHAP.  12 :  9—21. 


^Let  love  be  without  dissimulation.  Abhor  that  which  is  evil ;  cleave 
to  that  which  is  good.  ^^Be  kindly  affectioned  one  to  another  with  bro 
therly  love  ;  in  honour  preferring  one  another ;  "not  slothful  in  business 
fervent  in  spirit ;  serving  the  Lord;  *%ejoicing  in  hope;  patient  in  tri- 
bulation;  continuing  instant  in  prayer;  ^^distributing  to  the  necessity 
of  saints ;  given  to  hospitality.  **Bless  them  which  persecute  you ; 
bless,  and  curse  not.  ^^Rejoice  with  them  that  do  rejoice,  and  weep 
with  them  that  weep.  ^^Be  of  the  same  mind  one  toward  another. 
Mind  not  high  things,  but  condescend  to  men  of  low  estate.  Be  not 
wise  in  your  own  conceits.  ^''Recompense  to  no  man  evil  for  evil.  Pro- 
vide things  honest  in  the  sight  of  all  men.  ^^jf  it  be  possible,  as  much 
as  lieth  in  you,  live  peaceably  with  all  men.  ^^Dearly  beloved,  avenge 
not  yourselves,  but  rather  give  place  unto  wrath  :  for  it  is  written.  Ven- 
geance is  mine ;  I  will  repay,  saith  the  Lord.  ^oTherefore  if  thine  enemy 
hunger,  feed  him ;  if  he  thirst,  give  him  drink  :  for  in  so  doing  thou  shall 
heap  coals  of  fire  on  his  head.  ^^Be  not  overcome  of  evil,  but  overcome 
evil  with  good. 

ANALYSIS. 

Having  treated  of  those  duties  which  belong  more  especially  to  the 
officers  of  the  church,  the  apostle  exhorts  his  readers  generally  to  the 
exercise  of  various  Christian  virtues.  There  is  no  logical  arrangement 
observed  in  this  part  of  the  chapter,  except  that  the  general  exhortation 
to  love  precedes  the  precepts  which  relate  to  those  exercises  which  are, 
for  the  most  part,  but  different  manifestations  of  this  primary  grace. 
The  love  of  the  Christian  must  be  sincere,  and  lead  to  the  avoiding  of 
evil  and  the  pursuit  of  good,  v.  9.  It  must  produce  brotherly  affection 
and  humility,  or  kindness,  v.  10;  diligence  and  devotion,  v.  11;  resig- 
nation, patience,  and  prayer,  v.  12;  charity  and  hospitality,  v.  13;  for- 
giveness of  injuries,  v.  14;  sympathy  with  the  joys  and  sorrows  of 
others,  v.  15;  concord  and  lowliness  of  mind,  v,  16;  and  a  constant 
endeavour  to  return  good  for  evil,  vs.  17 — 21. 

COMMENTARY. 

(9)  Let  love  he  without  dissimulation,  i.  e.  sincere,  not  hypocritical, 
and  not  consisting  in  words  merely.  The  love  here  intended  is  proba- 
bly love  to  all  men,  and  not  to  Christians  exclusively,  as  in  v.  10  hro< 
therly  affection  is  particularly  specified.  Much  less  is  love  to  God  the 
idea  meant  to  be  expressed. 

Abhor  that  which  is  evil ;  cleave  to  that  which  is  good.  The  words 
rendered  to  abhor  and  to  cleave  to  are  peculiarly  forcible,  and  express  the 
highest  degree  of  hatred  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  persevering  devotion  on 
the  other.    The  latter  word,  in  the  active  form,  properly  means  to  glue, 


ROMANS  12;  9—21.  297 

and,  in  the  middle,  to  attach  one's  self  to  any  person  or  thing.  The 
words  evil  and  good^  in  this  passage,  may  be  understood  of  moral  good 
and  evil;  and  the  exhortation  be  considered  as  a  general  direction  to  hate 
the  one  and  love  the  other.  But  the  great  majority  of  commentators,  out 
of  regard  to  the  context,  take  the  terms  in  a  restricted  sense,  making  the 
former  mean  injurious^  and  the  latter  kind.  The  sense  of  the  whole 
verse  would  then  be,  '  Let  love  be  sincere ;  strive  to  avoid  what  is  inju- 
rious to  others,  and  earnestly  endeavour  to  do  whatever  is  kind  and  use- 
ful.' As  the  words  themselves  admit  of  either  of  these  interpretations, 
the  choice  between  them  depends  upon  the  context.  The  latter  is,  on 
this  ground,  perhaps,  to  be  preferred. 

(10)  Be  kindly  affectioned  one  to  another  with  brotherly  love,  in  ho- 
nour preferring  one  another.  '  As  to  brotherly  love,  be  kindly  affec- 
tioned one  towards  another.'  This  exhortation  seems  to  have  special 
reference  to  Christians.  The  word  used  by  the  apostle  expresses  pro- 
perly the  strong  natural  affection  between  parents  and  children,  but  is 
applied  also  to  tender  affection  of  any  kind.  Here,  no  doubt,  the  idea 
is,  that  Christians  should  love  each  other  with  the  same  sincerity  and 
tenderness  as  if  they  were  the  nearest  relatives. 

In  honour  preferring  one  another.  This  passage,  thus  translated, 
cannot  be  understood  otherwise  than  as  an  exhortation  to  humility;  and 
such  is  the  interpretation  generally  given  to  it.  But  the  word  rendered 
to  prefer  never  occurs  in  this  sense  elsewhere.  It  means  properly  to  go 
before,  to  lead,  and  then,  figuratively, Jo  set  an  example.  And  the  word 
translated  honour  may  mean  deference,  respect,  and  even  kindness.  The 
sense  of  the  clause  may  then  be,  '  as  to  respect  and  kindness,  going  be- 
fore each  other,  or  setting  an  example  one  to  another.'  This  interpreta- 
tion, which  is  given  by  most  of  the  recent  commentators,  is  not  only 
better  suited  to  the  meaning  of  the  words,  but  also  to  the  context.  The 
idea  is,  that  Christians  should  not  only  love  one  another,  but  endeavour 
to  excel  each  other  in  all  acts  of  mutual  respect  and  kindness. 

(11)  Not  slothful  in  business;  fervent  in  spirit;  serving  the  Lord. 
The  love  to  which  the  apostle  exhorts  his  readers  is  not  inactive  or  cold  ; 
on  the  contrary,  it  manifests  itself  in  diligence,  zeal,  and  devotion  to 
God.  The  word  rendered  business  properly  means  haste,  zeal,  activity. 
The  exhortation  has  not  the  reference  which  our  version  would  naturally 
suggest,  viz.  to  the  active  performance  of  our  several  vocations  ;  it  refers 
rather  to  religious  activity.  '  As  to  activity  or  diligence  (i.  e.  what  re- 
lates to  this  point),  do  not  grow  weary,  or  be  indolent;  on  the  contrary, 
be  fervent  in  spirit.'  The  word  spirit  is  by  many  understood  of  the  Holy- 
Spirit  ;  it  most  naturally  refers  to  the  mind  ;  compare  Acts  18  :  25,  where 
it  is  said  of  Apollos,  "  being  fervent  in  spirit  (i.  e.  zealous),  he  spake  and 
taught  diligently."  This  clause,  therefore,  stands  in  opposition  to  the 
preceding.     Instead  of  being  inactive,  we  should  be  zealous. 

Serving  the  Lord,  i.  e.  doing  service  to  the  Lord,  influenced  in  our 
activity  and  zeal  by  a  desire  to  serve  Christ.    This  member  of  the  sen 


298  ROMANS  12:  9—21. 

tence,  thus  understood,  describes  the  motive  from  which  zeal  and  dili- 
gence should  proceed.  Compare  Eph.  6:  5 — 8,  especially  the  expres- 
sions as  unto  Christ,  as  ike  servants  of  Christmas  to  the  Lord,  &c. ;  and 
Col.  3:  22,  23. 

(12)  Rejoicing  in  hope;  patient  in  tribulation;  continuing  instant 
in  prayer.  These  exhortations  refer  to  nearly  related  duties  ;  Christians 
are  to  be  joyful,  patient,  and  prayerful.  However  adverse  their  circum- 
stances, hope,  patience,  and  prayer  are  not  only  duties,  but  the  richest 
sources  of  consolation  and  support.  '  Rejoicing  on  account  of  hope,  or 
in  the  joyful  expectation  of  future  good.'  This  hope  of  salvation  is  the 
most  effectual  means  of  producing  patience  under  present  afflictions  ;  for 
if  we  feel  "  that  the  sufferings  of  this  present  time  are  not  worthy  to  be 
compared  with  the  glory  which  shall  be  revealed  in  us,"  it  will  not  be 
difficult  to  bear  them  patiently.  Intercourse  with  God,  however,  is  ne- 
cessary to  the  exercise  of  this  and  all  other  virtues,  and  therefore  the 
apostle  immediately  adds  eontinuing  instant  in  prayer.  The  original 
could  hardly  be  better  translated  ;  as  the  Greek  term  expresses  the  idea 
of  perseverance  and  ardour  in  the  prosecution  of  any  object.  There  are 
no  attributes  of  acceptable  prayer  more  frequently  presented  in  the  Scrip- 
tures than  those  here  referred  to,  viz.  perseverance  and  fervour,  which, 
from  their  nature,  imply  faith  in  the  ability  and  willingness  of  God  to 
grant  us  needed  good.  Acts  1  :  14.  6:4.  Eph.  6  :  18,  &c.  &c. 

(13)  Distributing  to  the  necessity  of  saints;  given  to  hospitality. 
These  virtues  are  the  immediate  fruits  of  the  love  enjoined  in  vs.  9,  10. 
The  word  rendered  to  distribute  signifies,  intransitively,  to  become  apar- 
taker  with  ;  and,  transitively,  to  cause  others  to  partake  with  us,  to  com- 
municate to.  It  is  commonly  followed  by  a  dative  of  the  person  to  whom 
the  communication  is  made,  Gal.  6 :  6.  In  this  case  the  construction 
may  be  the  same  as  in  the  preceding  verses,  '  as  to  the  necessity  of  the 
saints,  be  communicative;'  or  *•  give  to  the  necessity  of  the  saints,  shar- 
ing with  them,  i.  e.  communicating  to  them.'  As  intimately  connected 
with  this  injunction,  the  apostle  adds  given  to  hospitality,  as  our  trans- 
lators aptly  render  the  strong  expression  of  the  original.  The  value 
which  the  early  Christians  placed  upon  the  virtue  of  hospitality  is  plain 
from  Paul's  enumerating  it  among  the  requisite  qualifications  of  a  bishop, 
Tit.  1 :  8.  During  times  of  persecution,  and  before  the  general  institu- 
tion of  houses  of  entertainment,  there  was  peculiar  necessity  for  Chris- 
tians to  entertain  strangers.  As  such  houses  are  still  rarely  to  be  met 
with  in  the  east,  this  duty  continues  to  be  there  regarded  as  one  of  the 
most  sacred  character. 

(14)  Bless  them  which  persecute  you;  bless,  and  curse  not.  The  ex- 
ercise of  love,  and  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  benevolence,  are  not  to 
be  confined  to  the  saints  or  people  of  God,  but  the  same  spirit  is  to  be 
manifested  towards  our  enemies.  The  word  rendered  to  bless  signifies 
both  to  pray  for  good  to  any  one,  and  to  do  good;  here,  from  the  con- 
text, the  former  meaning  is  to  be  preferred,  as  it  is  opposed  to  cursing. 


ROMANS  12:  9—21.  299 

which  signifies  to  imprecate  evil  on  any  one.  The  command,  therefore, 
is  that,  so  far  from  wishing  or  praying  that  evil  may  overtake  our  perse- 
cutors and  enemies,  we  must  sincerely  desire  and  pray  for  their  good. 

(15)  Rejoice  ivith  them  that  do  rejoice,  and  weep  with  them  that 
weep.  Love  produces  not  only  the  forgiveness  of  enemies,  but  a  general 
sympathy  in  the  joys  and  sorrows  of  our  fellow  men,  and  especially  of 
our  fellow  Christians.  The  disposition  here  enjoined  is  the  very  oppo- 
site of  a  selfish  indiflference  to  any  interests  but  our  own.  The  gospel 
requires  that  we  should  feel  and  act  under  the  impression  that  all  men 
are  brethren,  that  we  have  a  common  nature,  a  common  Father,  and  a 
common  destiny.  How  lovely  is  genuine  sympathy  !  How  much  like 
Christ  is  the  man  who  feels  the  sorrows  and  joys  of  others,  as  though 
they  were  his  own  ! 

(16)  Be  of  the  same  mind  one  towards  another  ;  mind  not  high  things, 
but  condescend  to  men  of  low  estate.  Be  not  ivise  in  your  own  conceits. 
The  phrase  used  by  the  apostle  expresses  the  general  idea  of  concord, 
unanimity  ;  whether  of  opinion  or  feeling  depends  on  the  context;  see 

2  Cor.  13  :  11.  Phil.  2  :  2.  Rom.  15  :  5.  Here  the  latter  idea  is  the  pro- 
minent one.  *  Be  of  the  same  mind,  i.  e.  be  united  in  feeling,  interests, 
and  object;  let  there  be  no  discord  or  disagreement.'  This  idea  is  then 
amplified  in  the  following  clauses;  do  not  be  aspiring,  but  be  humble. 
Ambition,  and  contempt  for  lowly  persons  or  pursuits,  are  the  states  of 
mind  most  inconsistent  with  that  union  of  heart  by  which  all  Christians 
should  be  united. 

Mind  not  high  things,  i.  e.  do  not  aspire  after  them,  do  not  desire  and 
seek  them  ;  see  the  use  of  the  Greek  word  here  employed  in  ch.  8  :  5.  Col. 

3  :  2.  But  condescend  to  men  of  loio  estate.  The  general  idea  expressed  by 
these  two  clauses  is  obviously  this,  'Be  not  high-minded,  but  humble.* 
The  precise  meaning  of  the  latter,  however,  is  a  matter  of  much  doubt. 
The  word  rendered  condescend  properly  means,  in  the  passive  or  middle 
voice,  to  allow  one's  self  to  he  carried  along  with  others,  influenced  by  them, 
as  in  Gal.  2  :  13,  "  Insomuch  that  Barnabas  also  was  (allowed  himself  to 
be)  carried  away  with  their  dissimulation."  And  2  Pet.  3  :  17,  "  Beware 
lest  ye  also,  being  led  away  with  the  error  of  the  wicked,  fall  from  your 
own  steadfastness."  Many  retain  this  sense  of  the  word  here,  and  con- 
sider the  exhortation  to  be,  •'  not  to  withdraw  themselves  from  their  un- 
fortunate brethren,  but  to  allow  themselves  to  be  carried  along  with  them 
before  the  judgment  seat,  or  into  their  various  trials.'  But  this  seems 
to  be  pressing  the  meaning  of  the  word,  in  this  case,  too  far,  as  this  in- 
terpretation is  not  suitable  to  the  context.  Others,  therefore,  understand 
the  word  in  an  unusual  sense,  it  is  true,  but  still  in  one  nearly  allied  to 
the  other  meaning,  viz.  to  associate  with  :  *  Do  not  be  aspiring,  but  asso- 
ciate with  the  lowly.'  This  gives  a  perfectly  good  sense,  and  one  con- 
sistent with  the  context.  The  Greek  commentators  and  our  translators 
express  much  the  same  idea,  *  Do  not  be  high-minded,  but  condescend 
to  the  lowly,'  i.  e.  sympathize  with  them,  put  yourselves  on  a  par  with 


300  ROMANS  12:  9—21. 

them.'  The  words  rendered  to  men  of  low  estate  admit  of  being-  taken 
as  neuter,  and  translated  lowly  things.  This  would  well  suit  the  former 
part  of  the  sentence,  '  Mind  not  high  things,  but  condescend  to  humble 
affairs,  i.  e.  be  humble.'  But  this  interpretation  is  not  consistent  with 
the  usage  of  the  Greek  terms.  The  interpretation  adopted  by  our  trans- 
lators is  therefore,  on  the  whole,  to  be  preferred.  '  Do  not  aspire  after 
high  things,  but  condescend  to,  and  associate  with,  the  humble.' 

Be  not  wise  in  your  own  conceit.  This  precept  is  intimately  con- 
nected with  the  preceding,  since  ambition  and  contempt  of  others  gene- 
rally arise  from  overweening  ideas  of  our  own  persons  and  attainments. 
No  species  of  pride  is  more  insidious  or  more  injurious  than  the  pride  of 
intellect,  or  a  fancied  superiority  to  those  around  us,  which  leads  to  a 
contempt  of  their  opinions,  and  a  confident  reliance  upon  ourselves.  The 
temper  which  the  gospel  requires  is  that  of  a  little  child,  docile,  diffident, 
and  humble;  see  ch.  11  :  25.  Prov.  3:7. 

(17)  Recompense  to  no  man  evil  for  evil.  Provide  things  honest  in 
the  sight  of  all  men.  Paul  having,  in  the  preceding  verses,  enjoined 
the  duties  of  love,  condescension  and  kindness  towards  all  men,  comes, 
in  this  and  the  following  passages,  to  forbid  the  indulgence  of  a  contrary 
disposition,  especially  of  a  spirit  of  retaliation  and  revenge.  The  gene- 
ral direction  in  the  first  clause  is,  not  to  retaliate  ;  which  is  but  a  lower 
exercise  of  the  virtue  afterward  enjoined  in  the  command  to  "overcome 
evil  with  good." 

Provide  things  honest  in  the  sight  of  all  men.  Our  translation  of 
this  clause  is  not  very  happy,  as  it  suggests  an  idea  foreign  to  the  mean- 
ing of  the  original.  Paul  does  not  mean  to  direct  us  to  make  provision 
for  ourselves  or  families  in  an  honest  manner,  which  is  probably  the 
sense  commonly  attached  to  the  passage  by  the  English  reader,  but  to  act 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  command  the  confidence  and  good  opinion  of  men. 
In  this  view,  the  connexion  of  this  with  the  preceding  member  of  the 
verse  is  obvious.  '  We  must  not  recompense  evil  for  evil,  but  act  in 
such  a  way  as  to  commend  ourselves  to  the  conscience  of  all  men.' 
There  should  not,  therefore,  be  a  period  after  the  word  evil,  since  this 
clause  assigns  a  motive  for  the  discharge  of  the  duty  enjoined  in  the  first. 
The  word  rendered  to  provide,  signifies  also  to  attend  to,  to  care  for.  The 
sense  then  is,  '  Do  not  resent  injuries,  having  regard  to  the  good  opinion 
of  men,'  i.  e.  let  a  regard  to  the  honour  of  religion  and  your  own  character 
prevent  the  returning  of  evil  for  evil ;  compare  2  Cor.  8  :  20,  21. 

(18)  Jf  it  be  possible,  as  much  as  lieth  in  you,  live  peaceably  with 
all  men.  The  retaliation  of  injuries  necessarily  leads  to  contention  and 
strife,  while  peace  is  the  natural  result  of  a  forgiving  disposition.  The 
command  in  this  verse,  therefore,  is  naturally  connected  with  that  con- 
tained in  v.  17.  So  far  from  resenting  every  offence,  we  should  do  all 
we  can  to  live  at  peace  with  all  men.  This,  however,  is  not  always  in 
our  own  power,  and,  therefore,  the  apostle  says,  as  much  as  lieth  in  you, 
i.  e.  as  far  as  it  depends  on  you,  let  peace  be  cultivated.    This  Paul  con- 


ROMANS  12:  9—21.  301 

siders,  however,  as  a  result  not  always  to  be  attained,  for  he  says,  if  it 
he  possible  live  peaceably  with  all  men. 

(19)  Dearly  beloved^  avenge  not  yourselves  ;  but  rather  give  place  unto 
wrath,,  &c.  This  is  a  repetition  and  amplification  of  the  previous  injunc- 
tion, not  to  recompense  evil  for  evil.  There  are  three  interpretations  of 
the  phrase  ^zve  jo/ace  unto  wrath  w\\\c\i  deserve  to  be  mentioned.  Ac- 
cording to  the  first,  the  wrath  here  intended  is  that  of  the  injured  party, 
and  to  give  place  to  is  made  to  signify,  to  allow  it  to  pass,  i.  e.  let  it  go, 
do  not  cherish  or  indulge  it.  But  this  is  in  direct  contradiction  to  the 
common  and  proper  meaning  of  the  phrase,  which  signifies  to  give  free 
scope  to;  and  no  example  of  a  contrary  usage  is  adduced.  The  second 
interpretation  refers  the  wrath  to  the  injurer.  The  meaning  then  is,  '  Do 
not  avenge  yourselves,  but  rather  yield  or  submit  to  the  anger  of  your 
enemies.'  But  this  also  is  inconsistent  with  the  scriptural  usage  of  the 
expression  to  give  place  to,  which  means  to  make  room  for,  to  give  free 
scope  to.  The  third  interpretation,  therefore,  according  to  which  it  is  the 
wrath  of  God  that  is  here  intended,  is  the  only  one  consistent  with  the 
meaning  of  the  phrase  or  with  the  context.  '  Dearly  beloved,  avenge  not 
yourselves,  leave  that  matter  to  God ;  it  is  his  prerogative  to  take  ven- 
geance, but  do  you  overcome  evil  with  good.'  The  passage.  Vengeance 
is  mine,  I  will  repay  saith  the  Lord,  is  quoted  from  Deut.  32 :  35,  and  is 
obviously  cited  to  show  the  propriety  of  the  command  to  leave  vengeance 
to  God,  and  not  attempt  to  take  it  into  our  own  hands. 

(20)  Therefore,  if  thine  enemy  hunger,  feed  him  ;  if  he  thirst,  give 
him  drink,  &c.  That  is,  instead  of  avenging  ourselves  by  returning  evil 
for  evil,  we  must  return  good  for  evil.  The  expression /eed  him  and  give 
him  drink  are  obviously  not  to  be  confined  to  their  literal  meaning,  nor 
even  to  the  discharge  of  the  common  offices  of  humanity  ;  they  are  figura- 
tive expressions  for  all  the  duties  of  benevolence.  It  is  not  enough, 
therefore,  that  we  preserve  an  enemy  from  perishing;  we  must  treat  him 
with  all  afiection  and  kindness. 

For  in  so  doing  thou  shall  heap  coals  of  fire  upon  his  head.  This 
whole  verse  is  taken  from  Prov.  25  :  21,  22,  "  If  thine  enemy  be  hungry 
give  him  bread  to  eat ;  and  if  he  be  thirsty  give  him  water  to  drink  :  For 
thou  shalt  heap  coals  of  fire  upon  his  head,  and  the  Lord  shall  reward 
thee."  The  common  and  natural  meaning  of  the  expression  to  heap  coals 
sf  fire  upon  any  one,  is  to  inflict  the  greatest  pain  upon  him,  to  punish 
him  most  severely;  see  Ps.  140:  10,  "Let  burning  coals  fall  upon 
them  ;"  Ps.  11:6,"  Upon  the  wicked  he  shall  rain  coals,  fire,  and  brim- 
stone, and  an  horrible  tempest ;"  Ez.lO:  2.  4Esdr.  16:  52,  "  Let  not  the 
wicked  deny  that  he  has  sinned,  for  coals  of  fire  shall  burn  upon  the  head 
of  him  who  denies  that  he  has  sinned  against  the  Lord  God."  The  most 
probable  explanation  of  this  figurative  expression  is,  that  the  allusion  is 
to  the  lightning  or  fire  from  heaven,  which  is  the  symbol  of  the  divine 
vengeance.  To  rain  fire  upon  any  one,  is  to  visit  him  with  the  severest 
and  surest  destruction.     This  explanation  is  much  more  natural  than  to 

2C 


302  ROMANS  12:  9—21. 

suppose  the  allusion  is  to  the  practice  of  throwing  firebrands  upon  tiie 
heads  of  the  besiegers  of  a  city,  or  to  the  fusing  of  metals.  Paul  does  not 
mean  to  say,  'Treat  your  enemy  kindly,  for  in  so  doing  you  will  secure 
his  being  punished  by  God  in  the  severest  manner.'  His  meaning  is, 
*  Treat  your  enemy  kindly,  for  in  so  doing  you  take  the  most  effectual 
method  to  subdue  him.'  To  heap  coals  of  fire  on  the  head  is  to  inflict 
the  severest  punishment,  one  to  which  the  sufferer  must  yield.  Kindness 
is  no  less  effectual ;  the  most  malignant  enemy  cannot  always  withstand 
it.  The  true  and  Christian  method,  therefore,  to  subdue  an  enemy  is  to 
"overcome  evil  with  good." 

(21)  Be  not  overcome  of  evil,  but  overcome  evil  with  good.  It  is  only 
by  disconnecting  this  verse  from  the  preceding,  and  considering  it  as 
nearly  independent  of  it,  that  any  plausibility  can  be  given  to  the  first 
interpretation  mentioned  above  of  v.  20.  That  it  is  not  thus  independent 
of  it  almost  every  reader  must  feel.  '  We  are  not  to  conquer  evil  by  evil, 
but  to  treat  our  enemies  with  kindness.  Thus  we  shall  most  effectually 
subdue  them.  Do  not,  therefore,  allow  yourself  to  be  overcome  of  evil 
(i.  e.  to  be  provoked  to  the  indulgence  of  a  spirit  of  retaliation),  but  over- 
come evil  with  good,  subdue  your  enemies  by  kindness,  not  by  injuries.' 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law;  it  leads  to  the  avoiding  of  every 
thing  injurious  to  our  neighbour,  and  to  sedulous  attention  to  every  thing 
adapted  to  promote  his  welfare,  v.  9. 

2.  The  relation  in  which  Christians  stand  to  each  other  is  that  of  mem- 
bers of  the  same  family.  As,  however,  it  is  not  a  relation  constituted  by 
birth,  nor  secured  by  the  adoption  of  a  name,  there  is  no  evidence  of  its 
existence  but  that  which  consists  in  the  exercise  of  that  '  brotherly  affec- 
.tion'  (that  spiritual  <nopyfi)  which  brethren  in  Christ  feel  for  each  other, 
V.  10. 

3.  Religion  is  the  soul  of  morality,  without  which  it  is  but  a  lovely 
corpse.  Our  moral  duties  we  must  perform  as  "serving  the  Lord." 
The  religious  affections  and  emotions  do  not  supersede  those  of  a  simply 
benevolent  or  social  character,  but  mingle  with  them,  and  elevate  all 
social  and  relative  duties  into  acts  of  religion  and  genuine  morality, 
V.  11. 

4.  The  source  of  our  life  is  in  God ;  without  intercourse  with  him 
therefore  we  cannot  derive  those  supplies  of  grace  which  are  requisite  to 
preserve  the  spirit  of  piety  in  our  hearts,  and  to  send  a  vital  influence 
through  the  various  duties  and  avocations  of  life.  Hence  the  absolute 
necessity  of  being  "  instant  in  prayer,"  v.  12. 

5.  God  has  made  of  one  blood  all  men  that  dwell  upon  the  face  of  the 
earth.  There  is  in  this  fact,  of  a  common  origin  and  the  possession  of  a 
common  nature,  a  sufficient  ground  for  the  inculcation  of  a  universal 
sympathy  with  all  our  fellow  men.  As  he  is  no  true  Christian  who  is 
destitude  of  a  genuine  sympathy  for  his  fellow  Christians,  so  he  is  very 


ROMANS  12:  9—21.  303 

far  from  being  a  man  such  as  God  approves  who  does  not  "  rejoice  with 
them  that  do  rejoice,  and  weep  with  them  that  weep,"  v.  15. 

6.  A  wrong  estimate  of  ourselves  is  a  fruitful  source  of  evil.  Viewed 
in  relation  to  God,  and  in  our  own  absolute  insignificance,  we  have  little 
reason  to  be  wise  or  important  in  our  own  conceits.  A  proper  self- 
knowledge  will  preserve  us  from  pride,  ambition,  and  contempt  of  others, 
V.  16. 

7.  Abstaining  from  evil  is  but  one  half  of  duty.  It  is  not  enough  to 
avoid  imprecating  evil  upon  our  enemies ;  we  must  sincerely  desire  and 
pray  for  their  welfare.  Nor  is  it  sufficient  not  to  recompense  evil  for 
evil,  we  must  return  good  for  evil,  vs.  17 — 21. 

8.  The  prerogatives  of  judgment  and  vengeance  belong  to  God,  we 
have  no  right  therefore  to  arrogate  them  to  ourselves,  except  in  those 
cases  in  which,  for  his  glory  and  the  good  of  society,  he  has  given  us 
authority.  All  condemnation  of  others  for  self-gratification,  and  all  pri- 
vate revenge,  is  inconsistent  with  the  gospel,  vs.  11 — 21. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Christians  should  never  forget  that  faith  without  works  is  dead.  It 
is  not  more  important  to  believe  what  God  has  revealed,  than  to  do  what 
he  has  commanded.  A  faith  therefore  which  does  not  produce  love,  kind- 
ness, sympathy,  humility,  the  forgiveness  of  injuries,  &c.  can  do  us  little 
good,  vs.  9 — 21. 

2.  It  is  peculiarly  characteristic  of  the  spirit  of  the  gospel  that  it  turns 
the  heart  towards  others,  and  away  from  our  own  interests.  Self  is  not 
the  Christian's  centre  ;  men  are  loved  because  they  are  men.  Christians 
because  they  are  Christians;  the  former  with  sincere  sympathy  and  bene- 
volence, the  latter  with  brotherly  affection.  The  happiness  and  feelings 
of  others,  the  gospel  teaches  us  to  consult  in  small,  as  well  as  in  great 
matters,  anticipating  each  other  in  all  acts  of  kindness  and  attention, 
vs.  9—13. 

3.  The  benevolence  of  the  gospel  is  active  and  religious ;  it  leads  to 
constant  eflforts,  and  is  imbued  with  a  spirit  of  piety,  v.  11. 

4.  We  must  remember  that  without  Christ  we  can  do  nothing  ;  that  it 
is  not  we  that  live,  but  Christ  that  liveth  in  us.  If,  therefore,  we  attempt 
to  discharge  the  duties  here  enjoined  apart  from  him,  we  shall  be  as  a 
branch  severed  from  the  vine  ;  and  unless  we  are  "  instant  in  prayer," 
this  union  with  Christ  cannot  be  kept  up,  v.  12. 

5.  Alms-giving  and  hospitality,  in  various  ages  of  the  church,  have  been 
unduly  exalted,  as  though  they  were  the  whole  of  benevolence,  and  the 
greater  part  of  piety.  While  we  should  avoid  this  extreme,  we  should 
remember  that  we  are  stewards  of  God,  and  that  '  Whosa  hath  this 
world's  good,  and  seeth  his  brother  have  need,  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels 
of  compassion  from  him,  hath  not  the  love  of  God  dwelling  in  him,'  v.  13. 
I  John  3  :  17. 

6.  One  of  the  most  beautiful  exhibitions  of  the  character  of  our  Saviou. 


304  ROMANS  13:  1—14. 

was  afforded  by  his  conduct  under  persecution.  "  He  was  led  as  a  lamb 
to  the  slaughter  ;"  "  when  he  was  reviled,  he  reviled  not  again  ;  when  he 
suffered,  he  threatened  not."  Even  martyrs  dying  for  the  truth  have  not 
always  been  able  to  avoid  the  prediction  of  evil  to  their  persecutors ;  so 
much  easier  is  it  to  abstain  from  recompensing  evil  for  evil,  than  really 
to  love  and  pray  for  the  good  of  our  enemies.  This,  however,  is  Chris- 
tian duty ;  such  is  the  spirit  of  the  gospel.  Just  so  far,  therefore,  as  we 
find  our  hearts  indisposed  to  bless  those  who  curse  us,  or  inclined  to 
indulge  even  a  secret  satisfaction  when  evil  comes  upon  them,  are  we 
unchristian  in  our  temper,  vs.  19 — 21. 

7.  Nothing  is  so  powerful  as  goodness ;  it  is  the  most  efficacious  means 
to  subdue  enemies  and  put  down  opposition.  Men,  whose  minds  can 
withstand  argument,  and  whose  hearts  rebel  against  threats,  are  not  proof 
against  the  persuasive  influence  of  unfeigned  love  ;  there  is,  therefore,  no 
more  important  collateral  reason  for  being  good,  than  that  it  increases  our 
power  to  do  good,  vs.  20,  21. 


CHAPTER  Xni. 


CONTENTS. 


This  chapter  treats  mainly  of  our  political  duties.  From  v.  1  to  v.  7 
inclusive,  the  apostle  enforces  the  duties  which  we  owe  to  civil  magis- 
trates. From  V.  8  to  v.  11,  he  refers  to  the  more  general  obligations 
under  which  Christians  are  placed,  but  still  with  special  reference  to 
their  civil  and  social  relations.  From  v.  11  to  the  end  of  the  chapter,  he 
enjoins  an  exemplary  and  holy  deportment. 

CHAP.  13:  1—14. 

*Let  every  soul  be  subject  unto  the  higher  powers.  For  there  is  no 
power  but  of  God:  the  powers  that  be  are  ordained  of  God.  ^Whosoever 
therefore  resisteth  the  power,  resisteth  the  ordinance  of  God :  and  they 
that  resist  shall  receive  to  themselves  damnation,  ^por  rulers  are  not  a 
terror  to  good  works,  but  to  the  evil.  Wilt  thou  then  not  be  afraid  of  the 
power]  do  that  which  is  good,  and  thou  shalt  have  praise  of  the  same. 
*for  he  is  the  minister  of  God  to  thee  for  good.  But  if  thou  do  that  which 
is  evil,  be  afraid ;  for  he  beareth  not  the  sword  in  vain  :  for  he  is  the 
minister  of  God,  a  revenger  to  execute  wrath  upon  him  that  doeth  evil. 
^Wherefore  ye  must  needs  be  subject,  not  only  for  wrath,  but  also  for  con- 
science' sake.  ^For  for  this  cause  pay  ye  tribute  also  :  for  they  are  God's 
ministers,  attending  continually  upon  this  very  thing.  ^Render  therefore 
to  all  their  dues  :  tribute  to  whom  tribute  is  due ;    custom  to  whom  cus- 


ROIMANS  13:  1—14.  305 

torn  ;  fear  to  whom  fear ;  honour  to  whom  honour.  ^Owe  no  man  any 
thing,  but  to  love  one  another;  for  he  that  loveth  another  hath  fulfilled 
the  law.  ^For  this,  Thou  shall  not  commit  adultery,  Thou  shall  not  kill, 
Thou  shall  not  steal,  Thou  shall  not  bear  false  witness,  Thou  shalt  not 
covet ;  and  if  there  he  any  other  commandment,  it  is  briefly  comprehended 
in  this  saying,  namely,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  *°Love 
worketh  no  ill  to  his  neighbour  :  therefore  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law. 
**And  that,  knowing  the  time,  that  now  it  is  high  time  to  awake  out  of 
sleep :  for  now  is  our  salvation  nearer  than  when  we  believed,  ^^^he 
night  is  far  spent,  the  day  is  at  hand  :  let  us  therefore  cast  off  the  works 
of  darkness,  and  let  us  put  on  the  armour  of  light.  '^^Let  us  walk  honestly, 
as  in  the  day  ;  not  in  rioting  and  drunkeness,  not  in  chambering  and  wan- 
tonness, not  in  strife  and  envying.  ^^But  put  5^e  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  make  not  provision  for  the  flesh,  io  fulfil  the  lust  thereof. 

ANALYSIS. 

The  duty  of  obedience  to  those  in  authority  is  enforced,  1.  By  the  con- 
sideration that  civil  government  is  a  divine  institution,  and,  therefore, 
resistance  to  magistrates  in  the  exercise  of  their  lawful  authority  is  dis- 
obedience to  God,  vs.  1,  2.  2.  From  the  end  or  design  of  their  appoint- 
ment, which  is  to  promote  the  good  of  society,  to  be  a  terror  to  evil  doers, 
and  a  praise  to  them  that  do  well,  vs.  3,  4.  3.  Because  such  subjection 
is  a  moral,  as  well  as  civil  duty,  v.  5.  On  these  grounds  the  payment 
of  tributes  or  taxes,  and  general  deference,  are  to  be  cheerfully  rendered, 
vs.  6,  7. 

Christians  are  bound  not  only  to  be  obedient  to  those  in  authority,  but 
also  to  perform  all  social  and  relative  duties,  especially  that  of  love, 
which  includes  and  secures  the  observance  of  all  others,  vs.  8 — 10.  A 
pure  and  exemplary  life  as  members  of  society  is  enforced  by  the  con- 
sideration that  the  night  is  far  spent  and  that  the  day  is  at  hand,  that  the 
time  of  suffering  and  trial  is  nearly  over,  and  that  of  deliverance  approach- 
ing, vs.  11 — 14. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1)  Let  every  soul  be  subject  to  the  higher  powers.  The  expression 
every  soul  is  often  used  as  equivalent  to  every  one  ;  it  is  at  times,  how- 
ever, emphatic,  and  such  is  probably  the  case  in  this  passage.  By  higher 
powers  is  most  commonly  and  naturally  understood  those  in  authority, 
without  reference  to  their  grade  of  office,  or  their  character.  We  are  to 
be  subject  not  only  to  the  supreme  magistrates,  but  to  all  who  have  autho- 
rity over  us.  The  abstract  word  powers  or  authorities  is  used,  as  the  cor- 
responding terms  in  most  languages,  for  those  who  are  invested  with 
power,  Luke  12  :  11.  Eph.  1  :  21.  3  :  10,  &c.  &c.  The  word  rendered 
higher  is  applied  to  any  one  who,  in  dignity  and  authority,  excels  others. 
In  1  Pet.  2  :  13,  it  is  applied  to  the  king  as  supreme,  i.  e.  superior  to  all 
other  magistrates.     But  here  one  class  of  magistrates  is  not  brought  into 

2c2 


306  ROMANS  13;  1—14. 

comparison  with  another,  but  they  are  spoken  of  as  being  over  other  men 
who  are  not  in  office. 

There  was  peculiar  necessity,  during  the  apostolic  age,  for  inculcating 
the  duty  of  obedience  to  civil  magistrates.  This  necessity  arose  in  part 
from  the  fact  that  a  large  portion  of  the  converts  to  Christianity  had  been 
Jews,  and  were  peculiarly  indisposed  to  submit  to  the  heathen  authori- 
ties. This  indisposition  (as  far  as  it  was  peculiar)  arose  partly  from  the 
prevailing  impression  among  them  that  this  subjection  was  unlawful,  or 
at  least  highly  derogatory  to  their  character  as  the  people  of  God,  who 
had  so  long  lived  under  a  theocracy;  and  partly  from  their  constant 
expectation  of  a  temporal  Messiah. 

For  there  is  no  power  but  of  God;  and  the  powers  that  be  are  or- 
dained of  God.  This  is  the  ground  of  the  command  in  the  first  clause. 
We  must  obey  our  rulers,  because  government  is  of  divine  appointment. 
It  is  not  a  matter  which  men  may  or  may  not  have  at  pleasure  ;  it  is  the 
will  of  God  that  it  should  exist,  and  that  those  who  exercise  it  should  be 
obeyed  within  the  sphere  of  their  legitimate  authority.  It  is  doubtful 
whether  the  word  power,  in  the  first  clause  of  this  sentence,  is  to  be 
taken  as  abstract  or  concrete,  i.  e.  whether  the  meaning  is,  '  There  is  no 
government  or  authority  but  of  God,'  or  '  There  is  no  magistrate  who  is 
not  of  God ;'  every  civil  magistrate  is  to  be  considered  as  clothed  with 
divine  authority.  There  seems  to  be  little  difference,  as  to  the  real  sense 
of  the  passage,  between  these  two  modes  of  interpretation.  The  main 
idea  obviously  is,  that  government  is  of  divine  appointment,  and  conse- 
quently those  who  resist  it  disobey  God.  In  the  second  clause,  the 
powers  that  be  are  ordained  of  God,  the  sense  may  be  either,  all  govern- 
ments are  ordained  of  God,  or  all  magistrates  are  thus  ordained.  Some 
commentators  insist  strenuously  on  the  one  mode,  and  some  on  the  other. 
But,  as  just  remarked,  the  sentiment  is  in  either  case  the  same.  As  the 
expression  higher  powers,  at  the  beginning  of  the  verse,  is  almost  uni- 
versally understood  of  the  persons  who  exercise  authority,  it  would  seem 
most  natural  to  understand  the  same  word  in  the  same  manner  through 
the  remainder  of  the  verse.  All  magistrates,  of  whatever  grade,  are  to 
be  regarded  as  acting  by  divine  appointment ;  not  that  God  designates 
the  individuals,  but  that,  it  b?ing  his  will  that  there  should  be  magis- 
trates, every  person  who  is,  in  point  of  fact,  clothed  with  authority  is  to 
be  regarded  as  having  a  claim  to  obedience,  founded  on  the  will  of  God, 
In  like  manner  the  authority  of  parents  over  their  children,  of  husbands 
over  their  wives,  of  masters  over  their  servants,  is  of  God's  ordination. 

(2)  Whoso,  therefore,  resisteth  the  power  resisteth  the  ordinance  of 
God.  This  is  an  obvious  inference  from  the  doctrine  of  the  preceding 
verse.  If  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  there  should  be  civil  government, 
and  persons  appointed  to  exercise  authority  over  others,  it  is  plain  that 
to  resist  such  persons  in  the  exercise  of  their  lawful  authority  is  an  act 
of  disobedience  to  God. 

And  they  that  resist  shall  receive  to  themselves  damnation.    This  also  is 


ROMANS  13:  1—14.  307 

an  obvious  conclusion  from  the  preceding.  If  disobedience  is  a  sin,  it 
will  be  punished.  The  word  rendered  damnation  means  here  simply 
punishment,  which  is  also  the  old  meaning  of  the  word  damnation.  As 
this  word,  however,  has  become  restricted  to  the  final  and  eternal  con- 
demnation of  the  wicked,  it  is  now  unsuited  to  this  passage  and  some 
others  in  which  it  occurs  in  our  version  ;  see  1  Cor.  11  :  29.  Paul  does 
not  refer  to  the  punishment  which  the  civil  magistrate  may  inflict ;  for  he 
is  speaking  of  disobedience  to  those  in  authority  as  a  sin  against  God, 
which  he  will  punish. 

It  is  clear  that  this  passage  (vs.  1,  2)  is  applicable  to  men  living  under 
every  form  of  government,  monarchial,  aristocratical,  or  democratical,  in 
all  their  various  modifications.  Those  who  are  in  authority  are  to  be 
obeyed  within  their  sphere,  no  matter  how  or  by  whom  appointed.  The 
extent  of  this  obedience  is  to  be  determined  from  the  nature  of  the  case. 
They  are  to  be  obeyed,  as  magistrates,  in  the  exercise  of  their  lawful 
authority. 

(3)  For  rulers  are  not  a  terror  to  good  works,  hut  to  evil.  This 
verse  is  not  to  be  connected  with  the  second,  but  with  the  first,  as  it 
assigns  an  additional  reason  for  the  duty  there  enjoined.  Magistrates 
are  to  be  obeyed,  for  such  is  the  will  of  God,  and  because  they  are  ap- 
pointed to  repress  evil  and  to  promote  good.  There  is  a  ground,  there- 
fore, in  the  very  nature  of  their  office,  why  they  should  not  be  resisted. 

Wilt  thou  then  not  he  afraid  of  the  power  ?  Do  that  which  is  good, 
and  thou  shalt  have  praise  of  the  same.  That  is,  government  is  not  an 
evil  to  be  feared,  except  by  evil  doers.  The  proper  way,  he  tells  us,  to 
avoid  the  punishment  which  magistrates  are  authorized  to  inflict,  is  not 
by  resistance,  but  by  obedience. 

(4)  For  he  is  the  minister  of  God  for  thee  for  good,  &c.  This  whole 
verse  is  but  an  amplification  of  the  preceding.  '  Government  is  a  be- 
nevolent institution  of  God,  designed  for  the  benefit  of  men  ;  and,  there- 
fore, should  be  respected  and  obeyed.  As  it  has,  however,  the  rightful 
authority  to  punish,  it  is  to  be  feared  by  those  that  do  evil.'  For  good, 
i.  e.  to  secure  or  promote  your  welfare.  Magistrates  or  rulers  are  not 
appointed  for  their  own  honour  or  advantage,  but  for  the  benefit  of  so- 
ciety, and,  therefore,  while  those  in  subjection  are  on  this  account  to 
obey  them,  they  themselves  are  taught,  what  those  in  power  are  so  apt 
to  forget,  that  they  are  the  servants  of  the  people  as  well  as  the  servants 
of  God,  and  that  the  welfare  of  society  is  the  only  legitimate  object  which 
they,  as  rulers,  are  at  liberty  to  pursue. 

But  if  thou  do  that  which  is  evil,  he  afraid ;  for  he  heareth  n'-.i  the 
sword  in  vain ;  a  revenger  to  execute  wrath  upon  him  that  doeth  evil. 
As  one  part  of  the  design  of  government  is  to  protect  the  good,  so  the 
other  is  to  punish  the  wicked.  The  existence  of  this  delegated  authority 
is,  therefore,  a  reason  why  men  should  abstain  from  the  commission  of 
evil.  He  heareth  not  the  sword  in  vain,  i.  e.  it  is  not  in  vain  that  he  is 
invested  with  authority  to  punish.    As  the  common  method  of  inflicting 


303  ROMANS  13:  1—14. 

capital  punishment  was  by  decapitation  with  a  sword,  that  instrument  is 
mentioned  as  the  symbol  of  the  right  of  punishment,  and,  as  many  infer 
from  this  passage,  of  the  right  of  capital  punishment. 

(5)  Wherefore  ye  must  needs  be  subject^  not  only  for  wrath,  hut  also 
for  conscience''  sake.  That  is,  subjection  to  magistrates  is  not  only  a 
civil  duty  enforced  by  penal  statutes,  but  also  a  religious  duty,  and  part 
of  our  obedience  to  God.  For  wrath,  i.  e.  from  fear  of  punishment.  For 
conscience''  sake,  i.  e.  out  of  regard  to  God,  from  conscientious  motives. 
In  like  manner  Paul  enforces  all  relative  and  social  duties  on  religious 
grounds.  Children  are  to  obey  their  parent,  because  it  is  right  in  the 
sight  of  God ;  and  servants  are  to  be  obedient  to  their  master,  as  unto 
Christ,  doing  the  will  of  God  from  the  heart,  E ph.  6 :  1,  5,  6. 

(6)  For,  for  this  cause,  pay  ye  tribute  also.  This  verse  may  be  con- 
nected by  the  words  rendered  for  to  the  preceding,  thus,  '  Wherefore, 
(i.  e.  for  conscience'  sake),  ye  should  pay  tribute  also.'  But  it  is  better 
to  consider  this  clause  as  containing  an  inference  from  the  foregoing  exhi- 
bition of  the  nature  and  design  of  civil  government.  '  Since  government 
is  constituted  for  the  benefit  of  society,  for  the  punishment  of  evil  doers, 
and  for  the  praise  of  those  that  do  well,  ye  should  cheerfully  pay  the  con- 
tributions requisite  for  its  support.' 

For  they  are  the  mifiisters  of  God,  attending  continually  on  this 
very  thing.  This  clause  introduces  another  reason  for  payment  of  tri- 
bute. Magistrates  are  not  only  appointed  for  the  public  good,  but  they 
are  the  ministers  of  God,  and  consequently  it  is  his  will  that  we  should 
contribute  whatever  is  necessary  to  enable  them  to  discharge  their  duty. 
The  word  rendered  ministers  means  public  servants,  men  appointed  for 
any  public  work,  civil  or  religious.  Among  the  Greek  democratical 
states,  especially  at  Athens,  those  persons  were  particularly  so  called  who 
were  required  to  perform  some  public  service  at  their  own  expense.  It  is 
used  in  Scripture  in  a  general  sense  for  servants  or  ministers,  Rom.  lo  : 
IG.  Heb.  1:7.  8:2.  The  words  to  this  very  thing  are  most  naturally 
understood  as  referring  to  the  service  which,  as  the  ministers  of  God, 
magistrates  are  called  upon  to  perform.  '  They  are  the  servants  of  God, 
attending  continually  to  this  ministry.'  The  same  idea  would  be  ex- 
pressed by  saying,  '  They  are  appointed  by  God  for  the  public  service  ;' 
and  this  is  the  reason  why  the  necessary  contributions  should  be  faith- 
fully and  cheerfully  made. 

(7)  Render,  therefore,  to  all  their  dues ;  tribute  to  whom  tribute  ; 
custom  to  whom  custom  ;  fear  to  whom  fear  ;  honour  to  whom  honour. 
*  Such  being  the  will  of  God,  and  such  the  benevolent  design  of  civil 
government,  render  to  magistrates  (and  to  all  others)  what  properly 
belongs  to  them,  whether  pecuniary  contribution,  reverence  or  honour.' 
The  word  all  seems,  from  the  context,  to  have  special  reference  to  all  in 
authority,  though  it  is  not  necessary  to  confine  it  to  such  persons  exclu- 
sively. The  word  tribute  is  applied  properly  to  land  and  capitation  tax ; 
and  the  word  custom  to  the  tax  levied  on  merchandise.     The  words  fear 


ROMANS  13:  1—14.  309 

and  honour  are  generally  considered  in  this  connexion  as  differing  only 
in  degree,  the  former  expressing  the  reverence  to  superiors,  the  latter  the 
respect  to  equals. 

(8)  Owe  no  man  any  thing,  but  to  love  one  another,  &c.  That  is, 
acquit  yourselves  of  all  obligation's,  except  love,  which  is  a  debt  which 
must  remain  ever  due.  This  is  the  common,  and,  considering  the  con- 
text which  abounds  with  commands,  the  most  natural  interpretation  of 
this  passage.  The  idea  which  a  cursory  reader  might  be  disposed  to 
attach  to  these  words,  in  considering  them  as  a  direction  not  to  contract 
pecuniary  debts,  is  not  properly  expressed  by  them;  although  the  prohi- 
bition, in  its  spirit,  includes  the  incurring  of  such  obligations  when  we 
have  not  the  certain  prospect  of  discharging  them.  The  command,  how- 
ever is,  '  Acquit  yourselves  of  all  obligations,  tribute,  custom,  fear,  ho- 
nour, or  whatever  else  you  may  owe,  but  remember  that  the  debt  of  love 
is  still  unpaid  and  always  must  remain  so,  for  love  includes  all  duty, 
since  he  that  loves  another  fulfils  the  law.' 

(9)  For  this,  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery.  Thou  shalt  not  kill. 
Thou  shalt  not  steal.  Thou  shalt  not  hear  false  luitness.  Thou  shalt  not 
covet,  and  if  there  be  any  other  commandment  it  is  briefly  comprehended 
in  this  saying,  namely.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  This 
verse  is  evidently  a  confirmation  of  the  declaration  at  the  close  of  the  pre- 
ceding one,  that  love  includes  all  our  social  duties.  This  is  further  con- 
firmed in  the  following  verse. 

(10)  Love  worketh  no  ill  to  his  neighbour,  therefore  love  is  the  ful- 
filling of  the  law.  That  is,  as  love  delights  in  the  happiness  of  its 
objects,  it  effectually  prevents  us  from  injuring  those  we  love,  and,  con- 
sequently, leads  us  to  fulfil  all  the  law  requires,  because  the  law  requires 
nothing  which  is  not  conducive  to  the  best  interests  of  our  fellow  men.  He, 
therefore,  who  loves  his  neighbour  with  the  same  sincerity  that  he  loves 
himself,  and  consequently  treats  him  as  he  would  wish,  under  similar 
circumstances,  to  be  treated  by  him,  will  fulfil  all  that  the  law  enjoins  ; 
hence  the  whole  law  is  comprehended  in  this  one  command,  Thou  shalt 
love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  . 

(11)  And  that,  knowing  the  time,  that  now  it  is  high  time  to  awake 
out  of  sleep  ;  for  now  is  our  salvation  nearer  than  when  we  believed. 
From  this  verse  to  the  end  of  the  chapter,  Paul  exhorts  his  readers  to 
discharge  the  duties  already  enjoined,  and  urges  on  them  to  live  a  holy 
and  exemplary  life..  The  consideration  by  which  this  exhortation  is 
enforced,  is,  that  the  night  is  far  spent  and  that  the  day  is  at  hand,  the 
time  of  deliverance  is  fast  approaching.  The  words  rendered  and  that 
are  by  many  considered  as  elliptical,  and  the  word  do  is  supplied  ;  "  And 
this  do."  The  demonstrative  pronoun,  however,  is  frequently  used  to 
mark  the  importance  of  the  connexion  between  two  circumstances  for  the 
case  in  hand,  and  is,  therefore,  often  equivalent  to  the  phrases,  and  indeed, 
the  more,  &c.  So  in  this  case,  '  We  must  discharge  our  various  duties, 
and  that  knowing,  &c.  i.  e.  the  rather,  because  we  know,  &c. ;'  compare 


310  ROMANS  13:  1—14. 

Heb.  11 :  12.  1  Cor.  6  :  6.  Eph.  2  :  8.  Knowing  the  iime,  i.  e.  consider- 
ing* the  nature  and  character  of  the  period  in  which  we  now  live.  The 
original  word  does  not  mean  time  in  the  general,  but  a  portion  of  time 
considered  as  appropriate,  as  fixed,  as  short,  &c.  &c.  Paul  immediately 
explains  himself  by  adding,  that  now  it  is  high  time  to  aiuake  out  of 
sleep  ;  it  was  the  proper  time  to  arouse  themselves  from  their  slumbers, 
and,  shaking  off  all  slothfulness,  to  address  themselves  earnestly  to  work. 
For  now  is  our  salvation  nearer  than  when  we  believed.  This  is  the  reason 
why  it  is  time  to  be  up  and  active,  salvation  is  at  hand.  This  is  not  to 
be  understood  as  implying-  that  the  apostles  expected  the  speedy 
advent  of  Christ  to  judgment;  because,  in  the  first  place,  we  know  that 
the  time  of  the  second  advent  was  not  revealed  to  them  ;  see  Matt.  24  : 
36,  37.  Acts  1  :  6,  7.  1  Thess.  5  :  1,  2.  And,  secondly,  because  they 
expressly  teach  that '  the  day  of  Christ  was  not  at  hand  :'  see  2  Thess.  2  : 
1 — 3.  The  most  natural  interpretation  of  the  passage  is,  that  Paul  means 
simply  to  remind  them  that  the  time  of  deliverance  was  near  ;  that  the 
difficulties  and  sins  with  which  they  had  to  contend  would  soon  be  dis- 
persed as  the  shades  and  mists  of  night  before  the  rising  day.  The  salva- 
tion, therefore,  here  intended,  is  the  consummation  of  the  work  of  Christ 
in  their  deliverance  from  this  present  evil  world,  and  introduction  into  the 
purity  and  blessedness  of  heaven.  Eternity  is  just  at  hand,  is  the  solemn 
consideration  that  Paul  urges  on  his  readers  as  a  motive  for  devotion  and 
diligence. 

(12)  The  night  is  far  spent,  the  day  is  at  hand-  let  us,  therefore, 
cast  off  the  works  of  darkness,  and  let  us  put  on  the  armour  of  light. 
The  general  sentiment  of  this  verse  is  very  obvious.  Night  or  darkness 
is  the  common  emblem  of  sin  and  sorrow ;  day  or  light  that  of  know- 
ledge, purity,  and  happiness.  The  meaning  of  the  first  clause,  therefore, 
is,  that  the  time  of  sin  and  sorrow  is  nearly  over,  that  of  holiness  and 
happiness  is  at  hand. 

Paul  continues  this  beautiful  figure  through  the  verse.  Therefore  let 
us  cast  off  the  works  of  darkness,  and  let  us  put  on  the  armour  of  light. 
That  is,  let  us  renounce  those  things  which  need  to  be  concealed,  and 
clothe  ourselves  with  those  which  are  suited  to  the  light.  The  works 
of  darkness  are  those  works  which  men  are  accustomed  to  commit  in  the 
dark,  i.  e.  all  evil  works;  and  armour  of  light  means  those  virtues  and 
good  deeds  which  men  are  not  ashamed  of,  because  they  will  bear  to  be 
seen.  Paul  probably  used  the  word  armour  instead  of  tvorks  because 
these  virtues  constitute  the  offensive  and  defensive  weapons  with  which 
we  are  here  to  contend  against  sin  and  evil ;  see  Eph.  6:11. 

(13)  Let  us  walk  honestly  as  in  the  day ;  not  in  rioting  and  drunk- 
enness ;  not  in  chambering  and  wantonness ;  not  in  strife  and  envying. 
This  verse  is  an  amplification  of  the  preceding,  stating  some  of  those 
works  of  darkness  which  we  are  to  put  off;  as  v.  14  states  what  is  the 
armour  of  light  which  we  are  to  put  on.  The  word  rendered  honestly 
means  becomingly,  properly.     There  are  three  classes  of  sins  specified  i 


ROMANS  13:  1—14.  311 

this  verse,  to  each  of  which  two  words  are  appropriated,  viz.  intem- 
perance, impurity,  and  discord.  Rioting  and  drunkenness  belong  to  the 
first;  the  word  appropriately  rendered  rioting  is  used  both  in  reference 
to  the  disorderly  religious  festivals  kept  in  honour  of  Bacchus,  and  to  the 
common  boisterous  carousing  of  intemperate  young  men.  The  words 
chambering  and  wantonness  include  all  kinds  of  uncleanness  ;  and  strife 
and  envying  all  kinds  of  unholy  emulation  and  discord. 

(14)  But  put  ye  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christy  i.  e.  be  as  he  was.  To 
put  on  Christ  signiiies  to  be  intimately  united  to  him,  so  that  he,  and 
not  we,  may  appear.  Gal.  3  :  27.  '  Let  not  your  own  evil  deeds  be  seen 
(i.  e.  do  not  commit  such),  but  let  what  Christ  was  appear  in  all  your 
conduct,  as  effectually  as  if  clothed  with  the  garment  of  his  virtues.' 

And  make  not  provision  for  the  flesh,  to  fulfil  the  lusts  thereof.  That 
is,  let  it  not  be  your  care  to  gratify  the  flesh.  By  flesh  in  this  passage  is 
generally,  perhaps,  understood  the  body ;  so  that  the  prohibition  is  con- 
fined to  the  vicious  indulgence  of  the  sensual  appetites.  But  there  seems 
to  be  no  sufficient  reason  for  this  restriction.  As  the  word  is  constantly 
used  by  Paul  for  whatever  is  corrupt,  and  in  the  preceding  verse  the  sins 
of  envy  and  contention  are  specially  mentioned,  it  may  be  understood 
more  generally,  '  Do  not  indulge  the  desires  of  your  corrupt  nature.' 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  Civil  government  is  a  divine  institution,  i.  e.  it  is  the  will  of  God 
that  it  should  exist,  and  be  respected  and  obeyed,  v.  2. 

2.  While  '  government  is  of  God,  the  form  is  of  men.'  God  has  never 
enjoined  any  one  form  obligatory  on  all  communities;  but  has  simply 
laid  down  certain  principles,  applicable  to  rulers  and  subjects,  undei 
every  form  in  which  governments  exist,  vs.  1 — 7. 

3.  The  obedience  which  the  Scriptures  command  us  to  render  to  our 
rulers  is  not  unlimited ;  there  are  cases  in  which  disobedience  is  a  duty. 
This  is  evident,  first,  from  the  very  nature  of  the  case.  The  command 
to  obey  magistrates  is,  from  its  nature,  a  command  to  obey  them  as  ma- 
gistrates in  the  exercise  of  their  rightful  authority.  They  are  not  to  be  . 
obeyed  as  priests  or  as  parents,  but  as  civil  rulers.  No  one  doubts  that 
the  precept,  "  Children,  obey  your  parents  in  all  things,"  is  a  command 
to  obey  them  in  the  exercise  of  their  rightful  parental  authority,  and  im- 
poses no  obligation  to  implicit  and  passive  obedience.  A  parent  who 
should  claim  the  power  of  a  sovereign  over  his  children,  would  have  no 
right  to  their  obedience.  The  case  is  still  plainer  with  regard  to  the 
command,  "  Wives,  submit  to  your  own  husbands."  Secondly,  from 
the  fact  that  the  same  inspired  men  who  enjoin,  in  such  general  terms, 
obedience  to  rulers,  themselves  uniformly  and  openly  disobeyed  them 
whenever  their  commands  were  inconsistent  with  other  and  higher  obli- 
gations. "We  ought  to  obey  God  rather  than  men,"  was  the  principle 
w^hich  the  early  Christians  avowed,  and  on  which  they  acted.     They 

isobeyed  the  Jewish  and  heathen  authorities  whenever  they  required 


312  ROMANS  13:  1—14. 

them  to  do  any  thing  contrary  to  the  will  of  God,  There  are  eases 
therefore,  in  which  disobedience  is  a  duty.  How  far  the  rightful  au- 
thority of  rulers  extends,  the  precise  point  at  which  the  obligation  to 
obedience  ceases  must  often  be  a  difficult  question,  and  each  case  must 
be  decided  on  its  own  merits.  The  same  difficulty  exists  in  fixing  the 
limits  of  the  authority  of  parents  over  their  children,  husbands  over  their 
wives,  masters  over  their  servants.  This,  however,  is  rather  a  theoreti- 
cal than  a  practical  difficulty.  The  general  principles  on  which  the 
question  in  regard  to  any  given  case  is  to  be  decided  are  sufficiently  plain. 
No  command  to  do  any  thing  morally  wrong  can  be  binding ;  nor  can 
any  which  transcends  the  rightful  authority  of  the  power  whence  it  ema- 
nates. What  that  rightful  authority  is,  must  be  determined  by  the  insti- 
tutions and  laws  of  the  land,  or  from  prescription  and  usage,  or  from  the 
nature  and  design  of  the  office  with  which  the  magistrate  is  invested. 
The  right  of  deciding  on  all  these  points,  and  determining  where  the 
obligation  to  obedience  ceases,  and  the  duty  of  resistance  begins,  must, 
from  the  nature  of  the  case,  rest  with  the  subject,  and  not  with  the  ruler. 
The  apostles  and  early  Christians  decided  this  point  for  themselves,  and 
did  not  leave  the  decision  with  the  Jewish  or  Roman  authorities.  Like 
all  other  questions  of  duty,  it  is  to  be  decided  on  our  responsibility  to 
God  and  our  fellow  men,  vs.  1 — 7. 

4.  The  design  of  civil  government  is  not  to  promote  the  advantage  of 
rulers,  but  of  the  ruled.  They  are  ordained  and  invested  with  authority 
to  be  a  terror  to  evil  doers,  and  a  praise  to  them  that  do  well.  They  are 
the  ministers  of  God  for  this  end,  and  are  appointed  for  "  this  very  thing." 
On  this  ground  our  obligation  to  obedience  rests,  and  the  obligation  ceases 
when  this  design  is  systematically,  constantly,  and  notoriously  disre- 
garded. Where  unfaithfulness  on  the  part  of  the  government  exists,  or 
where  the  form  of  it  is  incompatible  with  the  design  of  its  institution, 
the  governed  must  have  a  right  to  remedy  the  evil.  But  they  cannot 
have  the  moral  right  to  remedy  one  evil  by  the  production  of  a  greater. 
And,  therefore,  as  there  are  few  greater  evils  than  instability  and  uncer- 
tainty in  governments,  the  cases  in  which  revolutions  are  justifiable  must 
be  exceedingly  rare,  vs.  3 — 7. 

5.  The  proper  sphere  of  civil  government  is  the  civil  and  social  rela- 
tions of  men,  and  their  temporal  welfare;  conscience,  and  of  course  reli- 
gion, are  beyond  its  jurisdiction,  except  so  far  as  the  best  interests  of 
civil  society  are  necessarily  connected  with  them.  What  extent  of 
ground  this  exception  covers  ever  has  been,  and  probably  will  ever  re- 
main, a  matter  of  dispute.  Still  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  it  is  an 
exception ;  religion  and  morality,  as  such,  are  not  within  the  legitimate 
sphere  of  the  civil  authority.  To  justify  the  interference  of  the  civil 
government,  therefore,  in  any  given  case  with  these  important  subjects, 
an  exception  must  be  made  out.  It  must  be  shown  that  an  opinion,  or  a 
religion,  is  not  only  false,  but  that  its  prevalence  is  incompatible  with 
the  rights  of  those  members  of  the  community  who  are  not  embraced 


ROMANS  13:  1—14.  313 

within  its  communion,  before  the  civil  authority  can  be  authorized  to 
interfere  for  its  suppression.  It  is  then  to  be  suppressed,  not  as  a  reli- 
gion, but  as  a  public  nuisance.  God  has  ordained  civil  government  for  the 
promotion  of  the  v^-elfare  of  men  as  members  of  the  same  civil  society ; 
and  parental  government,  and  the  instruction  and  discipline  of  the  church, 
for  their  moral  and  religious  improvement.  And  the  less  interference 
there  is  between  these  two  great  institutions,  in  the  promotion  of  their 
respective  objects,  the  better.  We  do  not  find  in  the  New  Testament 
any  commands  addressed  to  magistrates  with  regard  to  the  suppression 
of  heresies,  or  the  support  of  the  truth ;  nor,  on  the  other  hand,  do  we 
meet  with  any  directions  to  the  church  to  interfere  with  matters  pertain- 
ing to  the  civil  government,  vs.  3 — G. 

6.  The  discharge  of  all  the  social  and  civil  duties  of  life  is,  to  the 
Christian,  a  matter  of  religious  obligation,  vs.  5 — 7. 

REMARKS. 

1.  The  Christian  religion  is  adapted  to  all  states  of  society,  and  all 
forms  of  civil  government.  As  the  Spirit  of  God,  when  it  enters  any 
human  heart,  leaves  unmolested  what  is  peculiar  to  its  individual  charac- 
ter, as  far  as  it  is  innocent,  and  effects  the  reformation  of  what  is  evil, 
not  by  violence,  but  by  a  sweetly  constraining  influence;  so  the  religion 
of  Christ,  when  it  enters  any  community  of  men,  does  not  assail  their 
form  of  government,  whether  despotic  or  free ;  and  if  there  is  any  thing 
in  their  institutions  inconsistent  with  its  spirit,  it  is  changed  by  its  silent 
operation  on  the  heart  and  conscience,  rather  than  by  direct  denunciation. 
It  has  thus,  without  rebellion  or  violent  convulsions,  curbed  the  exercise 
of  despotic  power,  and  wrought  the  abolition  of  slavery  throughout  the 
greater  part  of  Christendom,  vs.  1 — 14. 

2.  The  gospel  is  equally  hostile  to  tyranny  and  anarchy.  It  teaches 
rulers  that  they  are  ministers  of  God  for  the  public  good  ;  and  it  teaches 
subjects  to  be  obedient  to  magistrates,  not  only  for  fear,  but  also  for  con- 
science' sake,  V.  5. 

3.  God  is  to  be  recognised  as  ordering  the  affairs  of  civil  society. 
"  He  removeth  kings,  and  he  setteth  up  kings ;"  by  him  "  kings  reign, 
and  princes  decree  justice."  It  is  enough,  therefore,  to  secure  the  obe- 
dience of  the  Christian,  that  in  the  providence  of  God,  he  finds  the  power 
of  government  lodged  in  certain  hands.  The  early  Christians  would 
have  been  in  constant  perplexity,  had  it  been  incumbent  on  them,  amidst 
the  frequent  poisonings  and  assassinations  of  the  imperial  palace,  the 
tumults  of  the  pretorian  guards,  and  the  proclamation  by  contending 
armies  of  rival  candidates,  to  decide  on  the  individual  who  had  de  jure 
the  power  of  the  sword,  before  they  could  conscientiously  obey, 
vs.  1 — 5. 

4.  When  rulers  become  a  terror  to  the  good,  and  a  praise  to  them  that 
do  evil,  they  may  still  be  tolerated  and  obeyed,  not  however  of  right,  but 
because  the  remedy  may  be  worse  than  the  disease,  vs.  3,  4. 

2D 


314  ROMANS  14:  1—23. 

5.  Did  genuine  Christian  love  prevail,  it  would  secure  the  right 
<lischarge,  not  only  of  the  duties  of  rulers  towards  their  subjects  and  of 
subjects  towards  their  rulers,  but  of  all  the  relative  social  duties  of  life ; 
for  he  that  loveth  another  fulfilleth  the  law,  vs.  7,  8. 

6.  The  nearness  of  eternity  should  operate  on  all  Christians  as  a  motive 
to  purity  and  devotedness  to  God.  The  night  is  far  spent,  the  day  is  at 
hand,  now  is  our  salvation  nearer  than  when  we  believed,  vs.  13,  14. 

7.  All  Christian  duty  is  included  in  putting  on  the  Lord  Jesus ;  in 
being  like  him,  having  that  similarity  of  temper  and  conduct  which 
results  from  being  intimately  united  to  him  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  v.  14. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

CONTENTS. 

As  in  chapter  12,  Paul  had  insisted  principally  upon  moral  and  reli- 
gious duties,  and  in  chapter  13,  on  those  of  a  political  character,  he  here 
treats  particularly  of  the  duties  of  church  members  towards  each  other, 
in  relation  to  matters  not  binding  on  the  conscience.  There  are  two 
points  specially  presented  ;  the  first  is  the  manner  in  which  scrupulous 
Christians,  who  make  conscience  of  matters  of  indifference,  are  to  be 
treated,  vs.  1 — 12 ;  and  the  second,  the  manner  in  which  those  who  are 
strong  in  faith  should  use  their  Christian  liberty,  vs.  13 — 23. 

CHAP.  14:  1—23. 

*Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  ye,  hut  not  to  doubtful  disputa- 
tions. ^For  one  believeth  that  he  may  eat  all  things :  another,  who  is 
weak,  eateth  herbs.  ^Let  not  him  that  eateth  despise  him  that  eateth 
not;  and  let  not  him  which  eateth  not  judge  him  that  eateth:  for  God 
hath  received  him.  *VVho  art  thou  that  judgest  another  man's  servant? 
to  his  own  master  he  standeth  or  falleth.  Yea,  he  shall  be  holden  up  : 
for  God  is  able  to  make  him  stand.  ^One  man  esteemeth  one  day  above 
another:  another  esteemeth  every  d3.y  alike.  Let  every  man  be  fully 
persuaded  in  his  own  mind,  ^^e  that  regardeth  the  day,  regardeth  it 
unto  the  Lord ;  and  he  that  regardeth  not  the  day,  to  the  Lord  he  doth 
not  regard  it.  He  that  eateth,  eateth  to  the  Lord,  for  he  giveth  God 
thanks ;  and  he  that  eateth  not,  to  the  Lord  he  eateth  not,  and  giveth 
God  thanks.  Tor  none  of  us  liveth  to  himself,  and  no  man  dieth  to 
himself.  ^For  whether  we  live,  we  live  unto  the  Lord  ;  and  whether  we 
die,  we  die  unto  the  Lord  :  whether  we  live  therefore,  or  die,  we  are  the 
Lord's.  ^For  to  this  end  Christ  both  died,  and  rose,  and  revived,  that 
he  might  be   Lord  both  of  the  dead  and  living.     i"But  why  dost  Ihou 


ROMANS  14:  1—23.  315 

judge  thy  brother  1  or  why  dost  thou  set  at  naught  thy  hrother  1  for  we 
shall  all  stand  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ.  ^^For  it  is  written, 
Js  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  every  knee  shall  bow  to  me,  and  every  tongue 
shall  confess  to  God.  ^^So  then  every  one  of  us  shall  give  account  of 
himself  to  God.  ^^Let  us  not  therefore  judge  one  another  any  more : 
but  judge  this  rather,  that  no  man  put  a  stumbling-block  or  an  occasion 
to  fall  in  his  brother's  way.  ^*I  know,  and  am  persuaded  by  the  Lord 
Jesus,  that  there  is  nothing  unclean  of  itself:  but  to  him  that  esteemeth 
any  thing  to  be  unclean,  to  him  it  is  unclean.  ^^But  if  thy  brother  be 
grieved  with  thy  meat,  now  walkest  thou  not  charitably.  Destroy  not 
him  with  thy  meat,  for  whom  Christ  died.  ^^Let  not  then  your  good  be 
evil  spoken  of:  ^Tor  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and  drink;  but 
righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  ^^For  he  that  in 
these  things  serveth  Christ  is  acceptable  to  God,  and  approved  of  men. 
^'^Let  us  therefore  follow  after  the  things  which  make  for  peace,  and 
things  wherewith  one  may  edify  another.  ^'^For  meat  destroy  not  the 
work  of  God.  All  things  indeed  are  pure;  but  it  is  evil  for  that  man 
who  eateth  M'ith  offence.  ^^It  is  good  neither  to  eat  flesh,  nor  to  drink 
wine,  nor  aiiy  thing  whereby  thy  brother  stumbleth,  or  is  offended,  or  is 
made  weak.  "^Hast  thou  faith?  have  it  to  thyself  before  God.  Happy 
is  he  that  condemneth  not  himself  in  that  thing  which  he  alloweth. 
'^^And  he  that  doubteth  is  damned  if  he  eat,  because  he  eateth  not  of 
faith  :  for  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin. 

ANALYSIS. 

Scrupulous  Christians,  whose  consciences  are  weak,  are  to  be  kindly 
received,  and  not  harshly  condemned,  v.  1.  This  direction  the  apostle 
enforces  in  reference  to  those  who  were  scrupulous  as  to  eating  particular 
kinds  of  meat,  and  the  propriety  of  neglecting  the  sacred  days  appointed 
in  the  law  of  Moses.  Such  persons  are  not  to  be  condemned,  1 .  Because 
this  weakness  is  not  inconsistent  with  piety;  notwithstanding  their 
doubts  on  these  points,  God  has  received  them,  v.  3.  2.  Because  one 
Christian  has  no  right  to  judge  another  (except  where  Christ  has  ex- 
pressly authorized  it  and  given  him  the  rule  of  judgment)  ;  to  his  own 
master  he  stands  or  falls,  v.  4.  3.  Because  such  harsh  treatment  is 
unnecessary  ;  God  can  and  will  preserve  such  persons,  notwithstanding 
their  feebleness,  v.  4.  4.  Because  they  act  religiously,  or  out  of  regard 
to  God  in  this  matter;  and  therefore,  live  according  to  the  great  Christian 
principle,  that  no  man  liveth  to  himself,  and  no  man  dieth  to  himself,  but 
whether  he  lives  or  dies  belongs  to  God,  vs.  6—9.  On  these  grounds 
we  should  abstain  from  condemning  or  treating  contemptuously  our 
weaker  brethren,  remembering  that  we  are  all  to  stand  before  the  judg- 
ment-seat of  Christ,  vs.  10 — 12. 

As  to  the  use  of  Christian  liberty,  the  apostle  teaches  that  it  is  not  to 
be  given  up  or  denied  ;  that  is,  we  are  not  to  make  things  sinful  which 
are  in  themselves  indiiferent,  v.  14.     But  it  does  not  follow  that  because 


316  ROMANS  14:  1—23. 

a  thing  is  not  wrong  in  itself,  it  is  right  for  us  to  indulge  in  it.  Our 
liberty  is  to  be  asserted,  but  it  is  to  be  exercised  in  such  a  way  as  not  to 
injure  others.  We  must  not  put  a  stumbling-block  in  our  brother's  way, 
V.  12.     This  consideration  of  others  in  the  use  of  our  liberty  is  enforced, 

1.  From  the  great  law  of  love  ;  it  is  inconsistent  with  Christian  charity, 
for  our  own  gratification,  to  injure  a  brother  for  whom  Christ  died,  v.  15. 

2.  From  a  regard  to  the  honour  of  religion.  We  must  not  cause  that 
which  is  good  to  be  evil  spoken  of,  v.  16.  3.  From  the  consideration 
that  religion  does  not  consist  in  such  things,  vs.  17,  18.  4.  Because  we 
are  bound  to  promote  the  peace  and  edification  of  the  church,  v.  19. 

5.  Though  the  things  in  question  may  be  in  themselves  indifferent,  it  is 
morally  wrong  to  indulge  in  them  to  the  injury  of  others,  vs.  20,  21. 

6.  The  course  enjoined  by  the  apostle  requires  no  concession  of  princi- 
ple, or  adoption  of  error;  we  can  retain  our  full  belief  of  the  indifference 
of  things  which  God  has  not  pronounced  sinful ;  but  those  who  have  not 
our  faith  cannot  act  upon  it,  and  therefore,  should  not  be  encouraged  so  to 
do,  vs.  22,  23. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1)  Him  that  is  xoeak  in  faith  receive^  hut  not  to  doubtful  disputations. 
This  verse  contains  the  general  direction  that  weak  and  scrupulous  bre- 
thren are  to  be  kindly  received,  and  not  harshly  condemned.  Weak  in 
faith,  i.  e.  weak  as  to  faith.  Faith  here  means  persuasion  of  the  truth  ; 
a  man  may  have  a  strong  persuasion  as  to  certain  truths,  and  a  very  weak 
one  as  to  others.  Some  of  the  early  Christians  were,  no  doubt,  fully 
convinced  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  and  yet  felt  great  doubts  whether 
the  distinction  between  clean  and  unclean  meats  was  entirely  done  away. 
This  was  certainly  a  great  defect  of  Christian  character,  and  arose  from 
the  want  of  an  intelligent  and  firm  conviction  of  the  gratuitous  nature  of 
justification,  and  of  the  spirituality  of  the  gospel.  Since,  however,.this 
weakness  was  not  inconsistent  with  religion,  such  persons  were  to  be 
received.  The  word  rendered  receive  has  the  general  signification  to  take 
to  one-self :  and  this  is  its  meaning  here.  '  Him  that  is  weak  in  faith 
take  to  yourselves  as  a  Christian  brother,  treat  him  kindly;"  see  Acts 
28:  2.   Rom.  15:  7.    Philem.  vs.  15,  17. 

There  is  much  more  doubt  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  words  translated 
not  to  douhffal  disputations.  The  former  of  the  two  important  words  of 
this  clause  means  the  faculty  of  discrimination,  1  Cor.  12  :  10;  the  act 
of  discerning,  Heb.  5  :  14,  and  then  dijudication,  judgment.  It  may 
also  signify  doubt  or  inward  conflict;  see  the  use  of  the  verb  in  ch.  4  : 
20.  It  is  taken  in  this  sense  in  our  version,  not  to  the  doubtfulness  of 
disputes,  i.  e.  not  for  the  purpose  of  doubtful  disputation.  The  word 
rendered  disputations  means  also  thoughts,  opinions.  The  clause  may 
therefore  mean  not  to  the  judging  of  (his)  opinions,  i.  e.  not  for  the 
purpose  of  judging  his  opinions ;  do  not  act  the  part  of  a  judge  over  him. 
This  sense  seems  preferable  on  account  of  the  context,  as  Paul  enforces 


ROMANS  14:  1—23.  317 

this  direction  by  showing  them  that  they  had  no  right  to  sit  in  judgment 
on  their  brethren  in  such  matters. 

(2)  Ft)r  one  helieveth  he  may  eat  all  /kings  .•  another,  who  is  weak, 
eateih  herbs.  This  is  an  illustration  of  the  weakness  of  faith  to  which 
the  apostle  refers  in  v.  1.  It  was  a  scrupulousness  about  the  use  of 
things  considered  as  unclean,  and  with  regard  to  sacred  days,  v.  5.  It  is 
most  probable  that  the  scrupulous  Christians,  to  whom  the  apostle  here 
refers,  were  of  Jewish  origin,  who  had  not  been  able  to  shake  off  their 
early  opinions  respecting  the  distinction  between  clean  and  unclean 
meats.  The  fact  that  they  abstained  from  all  meat,  as  seems  to  be  inti- 
mated in  this  verse,  may  have  arisen  from  the  constant  apprehension  of 
eating  meat  which,  after  having  been  presented  in  sacrifice,  was  sold  in 
the  market  place,  or  which  had  in  some  other  -way  been  rendered 
unclean.* 

(3)  Let  not  him  that  eateih  despise  him  that  eateih  not;  and  let  not 
him  which  eateth  not  judge  him  that  eateih ;  for  God  hath  received 
him.  There  is  mutual  forbearance  to  be  exercised  in  relation  to  this  sub- 
ject. The  strong  are  not  to  despise  the  weak  as  superstitious  and  imbe- 
cile ;  nor  the  weak  to  condemn  those  who  disregard  their  scruples. 
Points  of  indifference  are  not  to  be  allowed  to  disturb  the  harmony  of 
Christian  fellowship.  For  God  hath  received  him,  i.  e.  God  has  recog- 
nised him  as  a  Christian,  and  received  him  into  his  kingdom.  This  rea- 
son is  not  designed  to  enforce  merely  the  latter  of  the  two  duties  here 
enjoined,  but  is  applied  to  both.  As  God  does  not  make  eating  or  not 
eating  certain  kinds  of  food  a  condition  of  acceptance,  Christians  ought 
not  to  allow  it  to  interfere  with  their  communion  as  brethren. 

(4)  TVho  art  thou  that  judgest  another  man''s  servant  P  to  his  own 
master  he  standeih  or  falleih.  If  God  has  not  made  the  point  in  question 
a  term  of  communion,  we  have  no  right  to  do  so;  we  have  no  right  to 
exercise  the  office  of  judge  over  the  servant  of  another.  This  is  the 
second  reason  for  mutual  forbearance  with  regard  to  such  matters  as 
divided  the  Jewish  and  Gentile  converts.  It  cannot  fail  to  be  remarked 
how  differently  the  apostle  speaks  of  the  same  things  under  different  cir- 
cumstances. He  who  circumcised  Timothy,  who  conformed  in  many 
things  to  the  law  of  Moses,  and  to  the  Jews  became  a  Jew,  and  who  here 
exhorts  Christians  to  regard  their  external  observances  as  matters  of 
indifference,  resisted  to  the  uttermost  as  soon  as  these  things  were  urged 
as  matters  of  importance,  or  were  insisted  upon  as  necessary  to  acceptance 
with  God.  He  would  not  allow  Titus  to  be  circumcised,  nor  give  place 
even  for  an  hour  to  false  brethren,  who  had  come  in  privily  to  spy  out 
our  liberty.  Gal.  2 :  3,  5.  What  might  be  safely  granted,  if  asked 
and  given  as  a  matter  of  indifference,  became  a  fatal  apostasy  when 
demanded  as  a  matter  of  necessity  or  a  condition  of  salvation. 

*  Josephus  states  in  his  life  (cli.  23)  that  certain  Jewish  priests,  while  at  Rome, 
.  ived  entirely  upon  fruit,  from  the  dread  of  eating  any  thing  unclean. 

2  D  2 


318  ROMANS  11:  1—23. 

To  his  oivn  master  he  standeth  or  falleth,  i.  e.  it  belongs  to  his  own 
master  to  decide  his  case,  to  acquit  or  to  condemn.  These  terms  are  often 
used  in  this  judicial  sense,  Ps.  1:5.  76-7.  Luke  21  :  36.  Rev.  6  :  17. 
Yea^  he  shall  he  holden  up  .•  for  God  is  aboe  to  make  him  stand,  i.  e.  he 
shall  stand,  or  be  accepted,  for  God  has  the  right  and  the  will  to  make 
him  stand,  that  is,  to  acquit  and  save  him.  This  clause  seems  designed 
to  urge  a  further  reason  for  forbearance  and  kindness  towards  those  who 
differ  from  us  on  matters  of  indifference.  However  weak  a  man's  faith 
may  be,  if  he  is  a  Christian,  he  should  be  recognised  and  treated  as  such  : 
for  his  weakness  is  not  inconsistent  with  his  acceptance  with  God,  and 
therefore  is  no  ground  of  necessity  for  our  proceeding  against  him  with 
severity.  The  objects  of  discipline  are  the  reformation  of  offenders  and 
the  purification  of  the  church  ;  but  neither  of  these  objects  requires  the 
condemnation  of  those  brethren  whom  God  has  received.  "  God  is  able 
to  make  him  stand  ;"  he  has  not  only  the  power,  but  the  disposition  and 
determination.  Compare  ch.  11 :  23,  "For  God  is  able  to  graft  them  in 
again." 

(5)  One  man  esteemeih  07ie  day  above  another ;  another  esteemeth 
every  day  alike.  As  the  law  of  Moses  not  only  made  a  distinction 
between  meats  as  clean  and  unclean,  but  also  prescribed  the  observance 
of  certain  days  as  religious  festivals,  the  Jewish  converts  were  as  scru- 
pulous with  regard  to  this  latter  point  as  the  former.  Some  Christians, 
therefore,  thought  it  incumbent  on  them  to  observe  these  days  ;  others 
were  of  a  contrary  opinion.  Both  were  to  be  tolerated.  The  veneration 
of  these  days  was  a  weakness,  but  still  it  was  not  a  vital  matter,  and 
therefore  should  not  be  allowed  to  disturb  the  harmony  of  Christian 
intercourse,  or  the  peace  of  the  church.  It  is  obvious  from  the  context, 
and  from  such  parallel  passages  as  Gal.  4:  10,  "Ye  observe  days,  and 
months,  and  times,  and  years,"  and  Col.  2  :  16,  "  Let  no  man  judge  you 
in  meat,  or  in  drink,  or  in  respect  of  a  holy  day,  or  of  the  new  moon,  or 
of  Sabbath  days,"  that  Paul  has  reference  to  the  Jewish  festivals,  and 
therefore  his  language  cannot  properly  be  applied  to  the  Christian  Sab- 
bath. The  sentiment  of  the  passage  is  this,  'One  man  observes  the 
Jewish  festivals,  another  man  does  not.'  Such  we  know  was  the  fact  in 
the  apostolic  church,  even  among  those  who  agreed  in  the  observance  of 
the  first  day  of  the  week. 

Let  every  man  be  fully  persuaded  in  his  oxun  mind.  The  principle, 
which  the  apostle  enforces  in  reference  to  this  case,  is  the  same  as  that 
which  he  enjoined  in  relation  to  the  other,  viz.  that  one  man  should  not 
be  forced  to  act  according  to  another  man's  conscience,  but  every  one 
should  be  satisfied  in  his  own  mind,  and  be  careful  not  to  do  what  he 
thought  wrong. 

(6)  He  that  regardeth  the  day,  regardeth  it  unto  the  Lord ;  and  he 
that  regardeth  not  the  day,  to  the  Lord  he  doth  not  regard  it.  He  that 
eateth,  eateth  to  the  Lord,  &c.     That  is,  both  parties  are  actuated  by  reli- 

ious  motives  in  what  they  do ;  they  regulate  their  conduct  by  a  regard 


ROMANS  14:  1—23.  319 

to  the  will  of  God,  and,  therefore,  although  some  from  weakness  or  igno- 
rance may  err  as  to  the  rule  of  duty,  they  are  not  to  be  despised  or  cast 
out  as  evil.  The  strong  should  not  condemn  the  scrupulous,  nor  the 
scrupulous  be  censorious  towards  the  strong.  This  is  a  fourth  argument 
in  favour  of  the  mutual  forbearance  enjoined  in  the  first  verse.  He  that 
eaiefh,  eateth  to  the  Lord;  for  he  giveth  God  thanks,  &c.  That  is,  he 
who  disregards  the  Mosaic  distinction  between  clean  and  unclean  meats, 
and  uses  indiscriminately  the  common  articles  of  food,  acts  religiously  in 
so  doing,  as  is  evident  from  his  giving  God  thanks.  He  could  not  deli- 
berately thank  God  for  what  he  supposed  God  had  forbidden  him  to  use. 
In  like  manner,  he  that  abstains  from  certain  meats  does  it  religiously, 
for  he  also  giveth  thanks  to  God  ;  which  implies  that  he  regards  himself 
as  acting  agreeably  to  the  divine  will. 

(7)  For  none  of  us  liveth  to  himself  and  no  man  dieth  to  himself. 
This  verse  is  an  amplification  and  confirmation  of  the  preceding.  The 
principle  on  which  both  the  classes  of  persons  just  referred  to  acted,  is  a 
true  Christian  principle.  No  Christian  considers  himself  as  his  own 
master,  or  at  liberty  to  regulate  his  conduct  according  to  his  ow^n  will,  or 
for  his  own  ends;  he  is  the  servant  of  God,  and,  therefore,  endeavours  to 
live  according  to  his  will  and  for  his  glory.  They,  therefore,  who  act  on 
this  principle,  are  to  be  regarded  and  treated  as  true  Christians,  although 
ihcy  may  differ  as  to  what  the  will  of  God,  in  particular  cases,  requires. 
No  man  dieth  to  himself,  i.  e-.  death  as  well  as  life  must  be  left  in  the 
hands  of  God,  to  be  directed  by  his  will  and  for  his  glory.  The  senti- 
ment is,  we  are  entirely  his,  having  no  authority  over  our  life  or  death. 

(8)  For  whether  we  live,  we  live  unto  the  Lord;  or  whether  we  die^ 
we  die  unto  the  Lord-  whether  we  live,  therefore,  or  die,  tue  are  the 
Lord'^s.  The  same  sentiment  as  in  the  preceding  verse,  rather  more  fully 
and  explicitly  stated.  In  v.  7,  Paul  had  stated,  negatively,  that  the 
Christian  does  not  live  according  to  his  own  will,  or  for  his  own  plea- 
sure ;  he  here  states,  affirmatively,  that  he  does  live  according  to  the  will 
of  Christ  and  for  his  glory.  This  being  the  case,  he  is  a  true  Christian ; 
he  belongs  to  Christ,  and  should  be  so  recognised  and  treated.  It  is  very 
obvious,  especially  from  the  following  verse,  which  speaks  of  death  and 
resurrection,  that  Christ  is  intended  by  the  word  Lord  in  this  verse.  It 
is  for  Christ,  and  in  subjection  to  his  will,  that  every  Christian  endea- 
vours to  regulate  his  heart,  his  conscience,  and  his  life.  This  is  the  pro- 
foundest  homage  the  creature  can  render  to  his  Creator;  and  as  it  is  the 
service  which  the  Scriptures  require  us  to  render  to  the  Redeemer,  it  of 
necessity  supposes  that  Christ  is  God.  This  is  rendered  still  plainer  by 
the  interchange,  throughout  the  passage  (vs.  6 — 9),  of  the  terms  Lord 
and  God.  '  He  that  eateth,  eateth  to  the  Lord,  for  he  giveth  God  thanks. 
We  live  unto  the  Lord  ;  we  are  the  Lord's.  For  to  this  end  Christ  died 
and  rose,  that  he  might  be  the  Lord,'  &c.  It  is  clear  that,  to  the  apostle's 
mind,  the  idea  that  Christ  is  God  was  perfectly  familiar. 

(9)  For  to  this  end  Christ  both  died.,  and  rose,  and  revived,  that  he 


320  ROMANS  14:  1—23. 

might  he  Lord  both  of  the  dead  and  living.  The  dominion  which 
Christ,  as  Mediator  or  Redeemer,  exercises  over  his  people,  and  which 
they  gladly  recognise,  is  the  result  of  his  death  and  resurrection.  By 
his  death  he  purchased  them  for  his  own,  and  by  his  resurrection  he  at- 
tained to  that  exalted  station  which  he  now  occupies  as  Lord  over  all, 
and  received  those  gifts  which  enable  him  to  exercise  as  Mediator  this 
universal  dominion.  The  exaltation  and  dominion  of  Christ  are  fre- 
quently represented  in  the  Scriptures  as  the  reward  of  his  sufferings, 
*'  Wherefore  God  also  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a  name 
which  is  above  every  name  ;  that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should 
bow,"  &c.  Phil.  2:  8,  9.  This  authority  of  Christ  over  his  people  is 
not  confined  to  this  world,  but  extends  beyond  the  grave.  He  is  Lord 
both  of  the  dead  and  the  living. 

(10)  But  why  dost  thou  judge  thy  brother?  or  why  dost  thou  set  at 
naught  thy  brother  ?  for  ive  shall  all  stand  before  the  judgment-seat  of 
Christ.  In  this  and  the  following  verses,  to  the  thirteenth,  Paul  applies 
his  previous  reasoning  to  the  case  in  hand.  If  a  man  is  our  brother,  if 
God  has  received  him,  if  he  acts  from  a  sincere  desire  to  do  the  divine 
will,  he  should  not  be  condemned,  though  he  may  think  certain  things 
right  which  we  think  wrong ;  nor  should  he  be  despised  if  he  trammels 
his  conscience  with  unnecessary  scruples.  The  former  of  these  clauses 
relates  to  scrupulous  Jewish  Christians  ;  th«  latter  to  the  Gentile  con- 
verts. The  last  member  of  the  verse  applies  to  both  classes.  As  we 
are  all  to  stand  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ,  as  he  is  our  sole  and 
final  judge,  we  should  not  usurp  his  prerogative,  or  presume  to  condemn 
those  whom  he  has  received. 

(11)  For  it  is  written,  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  every  knee  shall 
bow  to  me,  and  every  tongue  shall  confess.  This  quotation  is  from  Isa 
45 :  23,  "  I  have  sworn  by  myself,  the  word  is  gone  out  of  my  mouth  in 
righteousness,  and  shall  not  return,  that  unto  me  every  knee  shall  bow, 
and  every  tongue  shall  swear."  The  apostle,  it  will  be  perceived,  does 
not  adhere  to  the  words  of  the  passage  which  he  quotes,  but  contents 
himself  with  giving  the  sense.  As  I  live,  being  the  form  of  an  oath,  is 
a  correct  exhibition  of  the  meaning  of  the  phrase  /  have  sworn  by  myself. 
And,  since  to  swear  by  any  being  is  to  recognise  his  power  and  authority 
over  us,  the  expressions  every  tongue  shall  swear  and  every  tongue  shall 
confess  are  of  similar  import.  Both  indeed  are  parallel  to  the  clause 
every  knee  shall  bow,  and  are  but  different  forms  of  expressing  the  general 
idea  that  every  one  shall  submit  to  God,  i.  e.  recognise  his  authority  as 
God,  the  supreme  Ruler  and  Judge.  The  apostle  evidently  considers 
the  recognition  of  the  authority  of  Christ  as  being  tantamount  to  submis- 
sion to  God  ;  and  he  applies,  without  hesitation,  the  declarations  of  the 
Old  Testament  in  relation  to  the  universal  dominion  of  Jehovah  in  proof 
of  the  Redeemer's  sovereignty.  With  him,  therefore,  Jesus  Christ  was 
God. 

(12)  S»  then  every  ^one  of  us  shall  give  account  of  himself  to  God 


ROMANS  14:  1—23.  321 

*  As,  therefore,  God  is  the  supreme  Judge,  and  we  are  to  render  our  ac- 
count to  him,  we  should  await  his  decision,  and  not  presume  to  act  the 
part  of  judge  over  our  brethren.' 

(13)  Let  us  not,  therefore,  judge  one  another  any  more  ;  but  judge 
this,  rather,  that  no  man  put  a  sturabling-hlock,  or  an  occasion  to  fall, 
in  his  hrother^s  way.  After  drawing  the  conclusion  from  the  preceding 
discussion  that  we  should  leave  the  office  of  judging-  in  the  hands  of 
God,  the  apostle  introduces  the  second  leading  topic  of  the  chapter,  viz. 
the  manner  in  which  Christian  liberty  is  to  be  exercised.  He  teaches 
that  it  is  not  enough  that  we  are  persuaded  a  certain  course  is,  in  itself 
considered,  right,  in  order  to  authorize  us  to  pursue  it.  We  must  be 
careful  that  we  do  not  injure  others  in  the  use  of  our  liberty.  The  word 
rendered  judge  means  also  to  determine,  to  make  up  one's  mind.  Paul 
uses  it  first  in  the  one  sense,  and  then  in  the  other.  '  Do  not  judge  one 
another,  but  determine  to  avoid  giving  offence.'  The  words  rendered  a 
stumbling-block  and  an  occasion  to  fall  do  not  differ  in  their  meaning ;  the 
latter  is  simply  exegetical  of  the  former. 

(14)  /  knoiv,  and  am  persuaded  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  there  is  no- 
thing unclean  of  itself ;  but  to  him  that  esteemeth  any  thing  to  be  un- 
clean, to  him  it  is  unclean.  '  The  distinction  between  clean  and  un- 
clean meats  is  no  longer  valid.  So  far  the  Gentile  converts  are  right. 
But  they  should  remember  that  those  who  consider  the  law  of  the  Old 
Testament  on  this  subject  as  still  binding,  cannot,  with  a  good  con- 
science, disregard  it.  The  strong  should  not,  therefore,  do  any  thing 
which  would  be  likely  to  lead  such  persons  to  violate  their  own  sense  of 
duty.'  I  know  and  am  persuaded  by  (in)  the  Lord  Jesus,  i.  e.  this  know- 
ledge and  persuasion  I  owe  to  the  Lord  Jesus;  it  is  not  an  opinion 
founded  on  my  own  reasonings,  but  a  knowledge  resulting  from  divine 
revelation.  That  there  is  nothing  unclean  of  itself.  The  word  ren- 
dered unclean  has  this  sense  only  in  Hellenistic  Greek.  It  means-com- 
mon,  and,  as  opposed  to  holy  (i.  e.  separated  for  some  special  or  sacred 
use),  it  signifies  impure  ;  see  Acts  10  :  14,  28.  Mark  7  :  2,  &e.  But  to 
Mm  that  esteemeth  any  thing  to  be  unclean,- to  him  it  is  unclean,  i.e. 
though  not  unclean  in  itself,  it  ought  not  to  be  used  by  those  who  regard 
its  use  as  unlawful.  The  simple  principle  here  taught  is,  that  it  is  wrong 
for  any  man  to  violate  his  own  sense  of  duty.  This  being  the  case, 
those  Jewish  converts  who  believed  the  distinction  between  clean  and 
unclean  meats  to  be  still  in  force,  would  commit  sin  in  disregarding  it; 
and,  therefore,  should  not  be  induced  to  act  contrary  to  their  consciences. 

(15)  But  if  thy  brother  be  grieved  with  thy  meat,  now  walkest  thou 
^ot  charitably.  Destroy  not  him  with  thy  meat,  for  whom  Christ  died. 
That  is,  though  the  thing  is  right  in  itself,  yet  if  indulgence  in  it  be  in- 
jurious to  our  Christian  brethren,  that  indulgence  is  a  violation  of  the 
law  of  love.  This  is  the  first  consideration  which  the  apostle  urges  lo 
enforce  the  exhortation  not  to  put  a  stumbling-block  in  our  brother's  way 
The  word  is  grieved  may  mean  is  injured.     Either  sense  suits  the  context 


322  ROMANS  14:  1—23. 

*  If  thy  brother,  imboldened  by  thy  example,  is  led  to  do  what  he  thinks 
wrong,  and  is  thus  rendered  miserable,'  &c.  Or,  'If  thy  brother,  by  thy 
example,  is  injured  (by  being  led  into  sin),  thou  walkest  uncharitably.' 
This  interpretation  is  perhaps  better  suited  to  the  latter  clause  of  the  verse. 
Destroy  not.  These  words  have  been  variously  explained.  The  mean- 
ing may  be,  *  Do  not  do  any  thing  which  has  a  tendency  to  lead  him  to 
destruction.'  Or,  '  Do  not  injure  him,  or  render  him  miserable.'  There 
is  no  material  difference  between  these  two  interpretations.  The  former 
is  more  consistent  with  the  common  meaning  of  the  original  word,  but 
the  latter  is  better  suited  to  the  context,  as  this  clause  answ^ers  to  the 
first  member  of  the  verse.  'If  thy  brother  be  aggrieved,  thou  doest 
wrong;  do  not  grieve  or  injure  him.'  For  whom  Christ  died.  This  is 
most  effectively  added.  '  If  Christ  so  loved  him  as  to  die  for  him,  how 
base  in  you  not  to  submit  to  the  smallest  self-denial  for  his  welfare.' 

(16)  Let  not  your  good  be  evil  spoken  of,  i.  e.  'Do  not  so  use  your 
liberty,  which  is  good  and  valuable,  as  to  make  it  the  occasion  of  evil, 
and  so  liable  to  censure.'  This  interpretation  is  better  suited  to  the  con- 
wcxt  than  that  which  makes  the  good  here  intended  to  be  the  Christian 
religion  generally;  'Let  not  religion  be  reproached  on  account  of  dissen- 
sion on  such  minor  points.'  The  general  idea,  however,  is  the  same. 
*Do  not  subject  the  truth  to  unmerited  obloquy.' 

(17)  For  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and  drink  ;  but  righteous- 
ness, and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  is  a  new  reason  for 
forbearance;  no  principle  of  duty  is  to  be  sacrificed,  nothing  essential  to 
religion  is  to  be  disregarded,  for  religion  does  not  consist  in'  external  ob- 
servances, but  in  the  inward  graces  of  the  Spirit.  The  phrase  kingdom 
of  God  almost  uniformly  signifies  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  under 
some  one  of  its  aspects,  as  consisting  of  all  professing  Christians,  of  all 
his  own  people,  of  glorified  believers,  or  as  existing  in  the  heart.  "  The 
kingdom  of  God  is  within  you  ;"  see  also  1  Cor.  4  :  20.  This  last  sense 
best  suits  this  passage,  '  Religion  does  not  consist  in  the  external  observ- 
ance, but  in  the  graces  of  the  Spirit.'  Righteousness,  peace  and  joy  in 
the  Holy  Ghost.  The  last  words,  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  pertain  to  the 
whole  clause.  Religion  consists  in  that  righteousness,  peace  and  joy,  of 
which  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  author.  The  word  righteousness  is  to  be 
taken  in  its  common  sense,  moral  excellence,  goodness,  peace,  not  exclu- 
sively concord  with  brethren,  but  that  inward  peace  of  conscience,  and 
peace  with  God,  which  is  the  attendant  on  reconciliation  (Rom.  5:  1); 
and  joy  resulting  from  a  sense  of  the  divine  favour  and  the  anticipation 
of  future  blessedness. 

(18)  For  he  that  in  these  things  serveth  Christ,  is  acceptable  to  God  and 
approved  of  men.  This  verse  is  a  confirmation  of  the  preceding.  These 
spiritual  graces  constitute  the  essential  part  of  religion  ;  for  he  that  expe- 
riences and  exercises  these  virtues,  is  regarded  by  God  as  a  true  Chris- 
tian, and  must  commend  himself  as  such  to  the  consciences  of  his  fellow 
men.     Where  these  things,  therefore,  are  found,  difference  of  opinion  oi 


ROMANS  14:  1—23.  323 

practice  in  reference  to  unessential  points  should  not  be  allowed  to  disturb 
the  harmony  of  Christian  intercourse.  It  is  to  be  observed  that  the 
exercise  of  the  virtues  here  spoken  of,  is  represented  by  the  apostle  as  a 
service  rendered  to  Christ;  "he  that  in  these  things  serveth  Christ, 
&e.,"  which  implies  that  Christ  has  authority  over  the  heart  and  con- 
science. 

(19)  Let  us,  therefore,  follow  after  the  things  which  make  for  peace, 
and  things  whereby  one  may  edify  another.  That  is,  let  us  earnestly 
endeavour  to  promote  peace  and  mutual  edification.  The  things  which 
make  for  peace  is  equivalent  to  peace  itself,  and  things  wherewith  one 
may  edify  another  is  mutual  edification.  This  verse  is  not  an  inference 
from  the  immediately  preceding,  as  though  the  meaning  were,  '  Since 
peace  is  so  acceptable  to  God,  therefore  let  us  cultivate  it;'  but  rather 
from  the  whole  passage.  '  Since  Christian  love,  the  example  of  Christ, 
the  comparative  insignificance  of  the  matters  in  dispute,  the  honour  of 
the  truth,  the  nature  of  real  religion,  all  conspire  to  urge  us  to  mutual 
forbearance,  let  us  endeavour  to  promote  peace  and  mutual  edification.' 

(20)  For  meat  destroy  not  the  work  of  God.  This  clause  is,  by 
many  commentators,  considered  as  a  repetition  of  v.  15.  "  Destroy  not 
him  with  thy  meat,  for  whom  Christ  died."  The  work  of  God  then 
means  a  Christian  brother;  see  Eph.  2:  10.  Others  much  more  natu- 
rally refer  the  passage  to  the  immediately  preceding  verses,  in  which  the 
nature  of  true  religion  is  exhibited.  The  work  of  God,  in  that  case,  is 
piety,  and  the  exhortation  is,  '  Do  not,  for  the  sake  of  indulgence  in 
certain  kinds  of  food,  injure  the  cause  of  true  religion,  i.  e.  pull  not  down 
what  God  is  building  up.^  The  figurative  expression  used  by  the  apostle 
{jpull  not  down),  shows  that  the  reference  is  to  the  preceding  verse; 
compare  Gal.  2  :  18. 

All  things  indeed  are  pure  ,-  but  it  is  evil  for  that  man  who  eateth 
with  offence.  The  ground  on  which  forbearance  is  urged,  is  not  that  the 
things  in  question  are  in  themselves  evil,  but  solely  that  the  use  of  them 
is  injurious  to  others.  'All  articles  of  food  are  in  themselves  innocent, 
but  it  is  wrong  in  any  man  so  to  use  them  as  to  give  oifence,  i.  e.  as  to 
cause  others  to  stumble.'  With  offence,  i.  e.  offensively,  so  as  to  give 
offence.  The  same  sentiment  occurs  in  1  Cor.  8:  9,  "But  take  heed, 
lest  by  any  means  this  liberty  become  a  stumbling-block  to  them  that  are 
weak." 

(21)  It  is  good  neither  to  eat  flesh,  nor  to  drink  wine,  nor  nr\y  thing 
tvhereby  thy  brother  stumbleth,  or  is  offended,  or  is  made  weak.  That 
is,  abstaining  from  flesh,  wine,  or  any  thing  else  which  is  injurious  to  our 
brethren,  is  right,  i.  e.  morally  obligatory.  The  words  stumbleth,  offended, 
made  weak,  do  not  in  this  connexion,  differ  much  from  each  other.  The 
ground  on  which  some  of  the  early  Christians  thought  it  incumbent  on 
them  to  abstain  from  wine,  was  not  any  general  ascetic  principle,  but  be- 
cause they  feared  they  might  be  led  to  use  wine  which  had  been  offered 
to  the  gods ;  to  which  they  had  the  same  objection  as  to  meat  which  had 
been  presented  in  sacrifice. 


324  ROMANS  14  :  1—23. 

(22)  Hast  thou  faith  ?  have  it  thyself  before  God,  Happy  is  he  that 
condemneth  not  himself  in  that  which  he  alloweth.  Paul  presents  in  this 
verse,  more  distinctly  than  he  had  before  done,  the  idea  that  he  required 
no  concession  of  principle  or  renunciation  of  truth.  He  did  not  wish 
them  to  believe  a  thing  to  be  sinful  which  was  not  sinful,  or  to  trammel 
their  own  consciences  with  the  scruples  of  their  weaker  brethren.  He 
simply  required  them  to  use  their  liberty  in  a  considerate  and  charitable 
manner.  He  therefore,  here  says,  '  Hast  thou  faith  ]  (i.  e.  a  firm  persua- 
sion of  the  lawfulness  of  all  kinds  of  meat)  it  is  well,  do  not  renounce  it,  but 
retain  it  and  use  it  piously  as  in  the  sight  of  God.'  'By  faith  here  seems 
clearly  to  be  understood  the  faith  of  which  Paul  had  been  speaking  in  the 
context ;  a  faith  which  some  Christians  had,  and  others  had  not,  viz.  a  firm 
belief  "  that  there  is  nothing  (no  meat)  unclean  of  itself."  Have  it  to 
thyself  keep  it  to  yourself.  There  are  two  ideas  included  in  this 
phrase.  The  first  is,  keep  it  privately,  i.  e.  do  not  parade  it,  or  make  it 
a  point  to  show  that  you  are  above  the  weak  scruples  of  your  brethren  ; 
and  the  second  is,  that  this  faith  or  firm  conviction  is  not  to  be  renounced, 
but  retained,  for  it  is  founded  on  the  truth.  Before  God,  i.  e.  in  the  sight 
of  God.  It  is  to  be  cherished  in  our  hearts,  and  used  in  a  manner 
acceptable  to  God.  Being  right  in  itself,  it  is  to  be  piously,  and  not  os- 
tentatiously or  injuriously  paraded  and  employed. 

Blessed  is  he  that  condemneth  not  himself  in  that  which  he  alloweth. 
That  is,  blessed  is  the  man  that  has  a  good  conscience ;  who  does  not 
allow  himself  to  do  what  he  secretly  condemns.  The  faith,  therefore, 
of  which  the  apostle  had  spoken,  is  a  great  blessing.  It  is  a  source  of 
great  happiness  to  be  sure  that  what  we  do  is  right,  and,  therefore,  the 
firm  conviction  to  which  some  Christians  had  attained,  was  not  to  be 
undervalued  or  renounced.  Compare  ch.  1 :  28.  1  Cor,  16  :  3,  for  a  simi- 
lar use  of  the  word  here  employed. 

(23)  But  he  that  doubteth  is  damned  if  he  eat,  because  he  eateth  not 
of  faith;  for  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith,  is  sin.  That  is,  if  a  man 
thinks  a  thing  to  be  wrong,  to  him  it  is  wrong.  He  therefore  who  is 
uncertain  whether  God  has  commanded  him  to  abstain  from  certain 
meats,  and  who  notwithstanding  indulges  in  them,  evidently  sins;  he 
brings  himself  under  condemnation.  Because  whatever  is  not  of  faith  is 
sin  :  i.  e.  whatever  we  do  which  we  are  not  sure  is  right,  is  wrong. 
The  sentiment  of  this  verse  therefore  is  nearly  the  same  as  of  v.  14. 
"  To  him  that  esteemeth  any  thing  to  be  unclean,  to  him  it  is  unclean." 
There  is  evidently  a  sinful  disregard  of  the  divine  authority  on  the  part 
of  a  man  who  does  any  thing  wjiich  he  supposes  God  has  forbidden,  or 
which  he  is  not  certain  he  has  allovred.  This  passage  has  an  obvious 
bearing  on  the  design  of  the  apostle.  He  wished  to  convince  the 
stronger  Christians  that  it  was  unreasonable  in  them  to  expect  their 
weaker  brethren  to  act  according  to  their  faith ;  and  that  it  was  sinful  in 
them  so  to  use  their  liberty  as  to  induce  these  scrupulous  Christians  to 
violate  their  own  consciences. 


ROMANS  14:  1—23.  325 


DOCTRINES. 


t.  The  fellowship  of  the  saints  is  not  to  be  broken  for  unessential 
matters ;  in  other  words,  we  have  no  right  to  make  any  thing  a  term  of 
Christian  communion  which  is  not  inconsistent  with  piety.  Paul  evi- 
dently argues  on  the  principle  that  if  a  man  is  a  true  Christian  he  should 
be  recognised  and  treated  as  such.  If  God  has  received  him,  we  should 
receive  him,  vs.  1 — 12. 

2.  The  true  criterion  of  a  Christian  character  is  found  in  the  governing 
purpose  of  the  life.  He  that  lives  unto  the  Lord,  i.  e.  he  who  makes  the 
will  of  God  the  rule  of  his  conduct,  and  the  glory  of  God  his  constant 
object  is  a  true  Christian,  although  from  weakness  or  ignorance  he  may 
sometimes  mistake  the  rule  of  duty,  and  consider  certain  things  obliga- 
tory which  God  has  never  commanded,  vs.  6 — 8. 

3.  Jesus  Christ  must  be  truly  God,  1.  Because  he  is  the  Lord,  accord- 
ing to  whose  will  and  for  whose  glory  we  are  to  live,  vs.  6 — 8.  2.  Because 
he  exercises  an  universal  dominion  over  the  living  and  the  dead,  v.  9. 
3.  Because  he  is  the  final  judge  of  all  men,  v.  10.  4.  Because  passages 
of  the  Old  Testament  which  are  spoken  of  Jehovah,  are  by  the  apostle 
applied  to  Christ,  v.  11.  5.  Because,  throughout  this  passage,  Paul 
speaks  of  God  and  Christ  indiscriminately,  in  a  manner  which  shows  that 
he  regarded  Christ  as  God.  To  live  unto  Christ  is  to  live  unto  God  ;  to 
stand  before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ  is  to  give  an  account  unto  God  ; 
to  submit  to  Christ  is  to  bow  the  knee  to  Jehovah. 

4.  The  gospel  does  not  make  religion  to  consist  in  external  observ- 
ances. "  Meat  commendeth  us  not  to  God  ;  for  neither  if  we  eat  are  we 
the  better  ;  neither  if  we  eat  not  are  we  the  worse,"  vs.  6,  7. 

5.  Though  a  thing  may  be  lawful,  it  is  not  always  expedient.  The 
use  of  the  liberty  which  every  Christian  enjoys  under  the  gospel,  is  to 
be  regulated  by  the  law  of  love ;  hence  it  is  often  morally  wrong  to  do 
what,  in  itself  considered,  may  be  innocent,  vs.  15,  20,  21. 

6.  It  is  a  great  error  in  morals,  and  a  great  practical  evil,  to  make  that 
sinful  which  is  in  fact  innocent.  Christian  love  never  requires  this  or 
any  other  sacrifice  of  truth.  Paul  would  not  consent,  for  the  sake  of 
avoiding  offence,  that  eating  all  kinds  of  food,  even  what  had  been 
offered  to  idols,  or  disregarding  sacred  festivals  of  human  appoint- 
ment, should  be  made  a  sin ;  he  strenuously  and  openly  maintained 
the  reverse.  He  represents  those  who  thought  differently  as  weak  in 
faith,  as  being  under  an  error  from  which  more  knowledge  and  more 
piety  would  free  them.  Concession  to  their  weakness  he  enjoins  on  a 
principle  perfectly  consistent  with  the  assertion  of  the  truth,  and  with  the 
preservation  of  Christian  liberty,  vs.  13 — 23. 

7.  Whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin.  It  is  wrong  to  do  any  thing  which 
we  think  to  be  wrong.  The  converse  of  this  proposition,  however,  is  not 
true.  It  is  not  always  right  to  do  what  we  think  to  be  right.  Paul,  before 
his  conversion,  thought  it  right  to  persecute  Christians  ;  the  Jews  thought 
they  did  God  service  when  they  cast  the  disciples  of  the  Saviour  out  of 

2E 


326  ROMANS  14:  1—23. 

the  synagogue.  The  cases  therefore  are  not  parallel.  When  we  do  what 
we  think  God  has  forbidden,  we  are  evidently  guilty  of  disobedience  or 
contempt  of  the  divine  authority.  But  when  we  do  what  we  think  he  has 
required,  we  may  act  under  a  culpable  mistake ;  or,  although  we  may 
have  the  judgment  that  the  act  in  itself  is  right,  our  motives  for  doing  it 
may  be  very  wicked.  The  state  of  mind  under  which  Paul  and  other 
Jews  persecuted  the  early  Christians  was  evil,  though  the  persecution 
itself  they  regarded  as  a  duty.  It  is  impossible  that  a  man  should  have 
right  motives  for  doing  a  wrong  action  ;  for  the  very  mistake  as  to  what 
is  right  vitiates  the  motives.  The  mistake  implies  a  wrong  state  of 
mind ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  the  misapprehension  of  truth  produces  a 
wrong  state  of  mind.  There  may,  therefore,  be  a  very  sinful  zeal  for 
God  and  religion  (see  Rom.  10  :  2) ;  and  no  man  will  be  able  to  plead  at 
the  bar  of  judgment  his  good  intention  as  an  excuse  for  evil  conduct, 
V.  23. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Christians  should  not  allow  any  thing  to  alienate  them  from  their 
brethren,  who  afford  credible  evidence  that  they  are  the  servants  of  God. 
Owing  to  ignorance,  early  prejudice,  weakness  of  faith,  and  other  causes, 
there  may  and  must  exist  a  diversity  of  opinion  and  practice  on  minor 
points  of  duty.  But  this  diversity  is  no  sufficient  reason  for  rejecting 
from  Christian  fellowship  any  member  of  the  family  of  Christ.  It  is, 
however,  one  thing  to  recognise  a  man  as  a  Christian,  and  another  to 
recognise  him  as  a  suitable  minister  of  a  church,  organized  on  a  particular 
form  of  government  and  system  of  doctrines,  vs.  1 — 12. 

2.  A  denunciatory  or  censorious  spirit  is  hostile  to  the  spirit  of  the 
gospel.  It  is  an  encroachment  on  the  prerogatives  of  the  only  Judge  of 
the  heart  and  conscience  ;  it  blinds  the  mind  to  moral  distinctions,  and 
prevents  the  discernment  between  matters  unessential  and  those  vitally 
important ;  and  it  leads  us  to  forget  our  own  accountableness,  and  to  over- 
look our  own  faults  in  our  zeal  to  denounce  those  of  others,  vs.  4 — 10. 

3.  It  is  sinful  to  indulge  contempt  for  those  whom  we  suppose  to  be 
our  inferiors,  vs.  3,  10. 

4.  Christians  should  remember  that  living  or  dying  they  are  the  Lord's. 
This  imposes  the  obligation  to  observe  his  will  and  to  seek  his  glory; 
and  it  affords  the  assurance  that  the  Lord  will  provide  for  all  their  wants. 
This  peculiar  propriety  in  his  own  people  Christ  has  obtained  by  his 
death  and  resurrection,  vs.  8,  9. 

5.  We  should  stand  fast  in  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ  has  made  us 
free,  and  not  allow  our  consciences  to  be  brought  under  the  yoke  of  bond- 
age to  human  opinions.  There  is  a  strong  tendency  in  men  to  treat,  as 
matters  of  conscience,  things  which  God  has  never  enjoined.  Wherever 
this  disposition  has  been  indulged  or  submitted  to,  it  has  resulted  in 
bringing  one  class  of  men  under  the  most  degrading  bondage  to  another  ; 
and  in  the  still  more  serious  evil  of  leading  them  to  disregard  the  authority 


ROMANS  14:  1—32.  327 

of  God.  Multitudes  who  would  be  shocked  at  the  thought  of  eating  meat 
during  Lent,  commit  the  greatest  moral  offences  without  the  slightest 
compunction.  It  is,  therefore,  of  great  importance  to  keep  the  conscience 
free  ;  under  no  subjection  but  to  truth  and  God.  This  is  necessary,  not 
only  on  account  of  its  influence  on  our  own  moral  feelings,  but  also 
because  nothing  but  truth  can  really  do  good.  To  advocate  even  a  gT)od 
cause  with  bad  arguments  does  great  harm,  by  exciting  unnecessary  oppo- 
sition ;  by  making  good  men,  who  oppose  the  arguments,  appear  to  oppose 
the  cause  ;  by  introducing  a  false  standard  of  duty;  by  failing  to  enlist 
the  support  of  an  enlightened  conscience,  and  by  the  necessary  forfeiture 
of  the  confidence  of  the  intelligent  and  well  informed.  The  cause  of  bene- 
volence, therefore,  instead  of  being  promoted,  is  injured  by  all  exaggera- 
tions, erroneous  statements,  and  false  principles  on  the  part  of  its  advo- 
cates, vs.  14,  22. 

6.  It  is  obviously  incumbent  on  every  man  to  endeavour  to  obtain  and 
promote  right  views  of  duty,  not  only  for  his  own  sake,  but  for  the 
sake  of  others.  It  is  often  necessary  to  assert  our  Christian  liberty  at  the 
expense  of  incurring  censure  and  offending  even  good  men,  in  order  that 
right  principles  of  duty  may  be  preserved.  Our  Saviour  consented  to  be 
regarded  as  a  Sabbath-breaker,  and  even  "  a  wine-bibber  and  friend  of 
publicans  and  sinners;"  but  wisdom  was  justified  of  her  children. 
Christ  did  not  in  these  cases  see  fit  to  accommodate  his  conduct  to  the 
rule  of  duty  set  up,  and  conscientiously  regarded  as  correct  by  those 
around  him.  He  saw  that  more  good  would  arise  from  a  practical  disre- 
gard of  the  false  opinions  of  the  Jews,  as  to  the  manner  in  which  the 
Sabbath  was  to  be  kept,  and  as  to  the  degree  of  intercourse  which  was 
allowed  with  wicked  men,  than  from  concession  to  their  prejudices. 
Enlightened  benevolence  often  requires  a  similar  course  of  conduct,  and 
a  similar  exercise  of  self-denial  on  the  part  of  his  disciples. 

7.  "While  Christian  liberty  is  to  be  maintained,  and  right  principles  of 
duty  inculcated,  every  concession  consistent  with  truth  and  good  morals 
should  be  made  for  the  sake  of  peace  and  the  welfare  of  others.  It  is 
important,  however,  that  the  duty  of  making  such  concessions  should  be 
placed  on  the  right  ground,  and  be  urged  in  a  right  spirit,  not  as  a  thing 
to  be  demanded,  but  as  that  which  the  law  of  love  requires.  In  this  way 
success  is  more  certain  and  more  extensive,  and  the  concomitant  results 
are  all  good.  It  may  at  times  be  a  difficult  practical  question,  whether 
most  good  would  result  from  compliance  with  the  prejudices  of  others, 
or  from  disregarding  them.  But  where  there  is  a  sincere  desire  to  do 
right,  and  a  willingness  to  sacrifice  our  own  inclinations  for  the  good  of 
others,  connected  with  prayer  for  divine  direction,  there  can  be  little  dan- 
ger of  serious  mistake.  Evil  is  much  more  likely  to  arise  from  a  disre- 
gard to  the  opinions  and  the  welfare  of  our  brethren,  and  from  a  reliance 
on  our  own  judgment,  than  from  any  course  requiring  self-denial,  vs.  13, 
15,20,  21. 

8    Conscience,  or  a  sense  of  duty,  is  not  the  only,  and  perhaps  not  the 


328  ROMANS  15:  1—13. 

most  important  principle  to  be  appealed  to  in  support  of  benevolent  enter- 
prises. It  comes  in  aid,  and  gives  its  sanction  to  all  other  right  motives, 
but  we  find  the  sacred  writers  appealing  most  frequently  to  the  benevo- 
lent and  pious  feelings  ;  to  the  example  of  Christ;  to  a  sense  of  our  obli- 
gations to  him  ;  to  the  mutual  relation  of  Christians  and  their  common 
connexion  with  the  Redeemer,  &c.  as  motives  to  self-denial  and  devoted- 
ness,  vs.  15,  21. 

9.  As  the  religion  of  the  gospel  consists  in  the  inward  graces  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  all  who  have  these  graces  should  be  recognised  as  genuine 
Christians;  being  acceptable  to  God,  they  should  beloved  and  cherished 
by  his  people,  notwithstanding  their  weakness  or  errors,  vs.  17,  18. 

10.  The  peace  and  edification  of  the  church  are  to  be  sought  at  all 
sacrifices  except  those  of  truth  and  duty  ;  and  the  work  of  God  is  not  to 
be  destroyed  or  injured  for  the  sake  of  any  personal  or  party  interest, 
vs.  19,  20. 

11.  An  enlightened  conscience  is  a  great  blessing;  it  secures  the 
liberty  of  the  soul  from  bondage  to  the  opinions  of  men,  and  from  the 
self-inflicted  pains  of  a  scrupulous  and  morbid  state  of  the  moral  feelings; 
and  it  promotes  the  right  exercise  of  all  the  virtuous  aflfections,  and  the 
right  discharge  of  all  relative  duties,  v.  22. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


CONTENTS. 


This  chapter  consists  of  two  parts.  In  the  former,  vs.  1 — 13,  the 
apostle  enforces  the  duty  urged  in  the  preceding  chapter  by  considera- 
tions derived  principally  from  the  example  of  Christ.  In  the  latter  part, 
vs.  14 — 33,  we  have  the  conclusion  of  the  whole  discussion,  in  which  he 
speaks  of  his  confidence  in  the  Roman  Christians,  of  his  motives  for 
writing  to  them,  of  his  apostolical  office  and  labours,  and  of  his  purpose 
to  visit  Rome  after  fulfilling  his  ministry  for  the  saints  at  Jerusalem. 

CHAP.  15:  1—13. 

^^We  then  that  are  strong  ought  to  bear  the  infirmities  of  the  weak,  and 
not  to  please  ourselves.  ^Let  every  one  of  us  please  his  neighbour  for 
his  good  to  edification.  ^For  even  Christ  pleased  not  himself;  but,  as 
it  is  written,  The  reproaches  of  them  that  reproached  thee  fell  on  me. 
*For  whatsoever  things  were  written  aforetime  were  written  for  our  learn- 
ing, that  we  through  patience  and  comfort  of  the  scriptures  might  have 
hope.    ^Now  the  God  of  patience  and  consolation  grant  you  to  be  like- 


ROMANS  15:  1—13.  329 

minded  one  tov/ard  another  according  to  Christ  Jesus  :  ^that  ye  may 
with  one  mind  and  one  mouth  glorify  God,  even  the  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  ^Wherefore  receive  ye  one  another,  as  Christ  also  re- 
ceived us  to  the  glory  of  God.  ^Now  I  say  that  Jesus  Christ  vv^as  a 
minister  of  the  circumcision  for  the  truth  of  God,  to  confirm  the  promises 
made  unto  the  fathers  :  ^and  that  the  Gentiles  might  glorify  God  for  his 
mercy ;  as  it  is  written,  For  this  cause  I  will  confess  to  thee  among  the 
Gentiles,  and  sing  unto  thy  name.  ^°And  again  he  saith.  Rejoice,  ye 
Gentiles,  with  his  people.  **And  again,  Praise  the  Lord,  all  ye  Gen- 
tiles;  and  laud  him,  all  ye  people.  ^^And  again,  Esaias  saith.  There 
shall  be  a  root  of  Jesse,  and  he  that  shall  rise  to  reign  over  the  Gentiles ; 
in  him  shall  the  Gentiles  trust.  ^^Now  the  God  of  hope  fill  you  with 
all  joy  and  peace  in  believing,  that  ye  may  abound  in  hope,  through  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

ANALYSIS. 

The  first  verse  of  this  chapter  is  a  conclusion  from  the  whole  of  the 
preceding.  On  the  grounds  there  presented  Paul  repeats  the  command 
that  the  strong  should  bear  with  the  infirmities  of  the  weak,  and  that, 
instead  of  selfishly  regarding  their  own  interests  merely,  they  should 
endeavour  to  promote  the  welfare  of  their  brethren,  vs.  1,  2.  This  duty 
he  enforces  by  the  conduct  of  Christ,  who  has  set  us  an  example  of  per- 
fect disinterestedness,  as  what  he  suffered  was  not  for  himself,  v.  3. 
This,  and  similar  facts  and  sentiments  recorded  in  the  Scripture,  are  in- 
tended for  our  admonition,  and  should  be  applied  for  that  purpose,  v.  4. 
The  apostle  prays  that  God  would  bestow  on  them  that  harmony  and 
unanimity  which  he  had  urged  them  to  cultivate,  vs.  5,  6.  He  repeats 
the  exhortation  that  they  should  receive  one  another,  even  as  Christ  had 
received  them,  v.  7.  He  shows  how  Christ  had  received  them,  and 
united  Jews  and  Gentiles  in  one  body,  vs.  8 — 13. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1)  We  then  that  are  strong  ought  to  bear  the  infirmities  of  the 
weak^  and  not  to  please  ourselves.  The  separation  of  this  passage  from 
the  preceding  chapter  is  obviously  unhappy,  as  there  is  no  change  in 
the  subject.  'As  the  points  of  difference  are  not  essential,  as  the  law 
of  love,  the  example  of  Christ,  and  the  honour  of  religion  require  conces- 
sion, we  that  are  fully  persuaded  of  the  indifference  of  those  things  about  ^ 
which  our  weaker  brethren  are  so  scrupulous,  ought  to  accommodate 
ourselves  to  their  opinions,  and  not  act  with  a  view  to  our  own  gratifica- 
tion merely.'  We  that  are  strong  .•  strong  in  reference  to  the  subject  of 
discourse,  i.  e.  faith,  especially  faith  in  the  Christian  doctrine  of  the 
lawfulness  of  all  kinds  of  food,  and  the  abrogation  of  the  Mosaic  law. 
Ought  to  bear^^  i.  e.  ought  to  tolerate.  The  infirmities,  that  is,  the  preju- 
dices,  errors,  and  faults  which  arise  from  weakness  of  faith.  Compare 
1  Cor.  9  :  20 — 22,  where  the  apostle  illustrates  this  command  by  stating 

2e  2 


330  ROMANS  15:  1—13. 

how  he  himself  acted  in  relation  to  this  subject.  And  not  to  please  our- 
selves ;  we  are  not  to  do  every  thing  which  we  may  have  a  right  to  do, 
and  make  our  own  gratification  the  rule  by  which  we  exercise  our  Chris- 
tian liberty. 

(9»)  Let  each  one  of  us  please  his  neighbour,  for  his  good  to  edifica- 
tion. The  principle  which  is  stated  negatively  at  the  close  of  the  pre- 
ceding verse,  is  here  stated  affirmatively.  We  are  not  to  please  our- 
selves, but  others ;  the  law  of  love  is  to  regulate  our  conduct ;  we  are 
not  simply  to  ask  what  is  right  in  itself,  or  what  is  agreeable,  but  what 
is  benevolent  and  pleasing  to  our  brethren.  The  object  which  we  should 
have  in  view  in  accommodating  ourselves  to  others,  however,  is  their 
good.  For  good  to  edification  most  probably  means  with  a  view  to  his 
good,  so  that  he  may  be  edified.  The  latter  words,  to  edification,  are, 
therefore,  explanatory  of  the  former;  the  good  we  should  contemplate  is 
their  religious  improvement;  which  is  the  sense  in  which  Paul  frequently 
uses  the  word  edification;  ch.  14:  19.  2  Cor.  10:  8.  Eph.  4:  12,  29. 
It  is  not,  therefore,  a  weak  compliance  with  the  wishes  of  others  to 
which  Paul  exhorts  us,  but  to  the  exercise  of  an  enlightened  benevolence  ; 
to  such  compliances  as  have  the  design  and  tendency  to  promote  the  spi- 
ritual welfare  of  our  neighbour. 

(3)  For  even  Christ  pleased  not  himself,  hut  as  it  is  written.  The  re- 
proaches of  them  that  reproached  thee  fell  on  me.  *  For  even  Christ, 
so  infinitely  exalted  above  all  Christians,  was  perfectly  disinterested  and 
condescending.'  The  example  of  Christ  is  constantly  held  up,  not 
merely  as  a  model,  but  a  motive.  The  disinterestedness  of  Christ  is 
here  illustrated  by  a  reference  to  the  fact,  that  he  suffered  not  for  himself, 
but  for  the  glory  of  God.  The  sorrow  which  he  felt  was,  not  on  account 
of  his  own  privations  and  injuries,  but  zeal  for  God's  service  consumed 
him,  and  it  was  the  dishonour  which  was  cast  on  God  that  broke  his 
heart.  The  simple  point  to  be  illustrated  is  the  disinterestedness  of 
Christ,  the  fact  that  he  did  not  please  himself.  And  this  is  most  affect- 
ingly  done  by  saying,  in  the  language  of  the  psalmist  (Ps.  69  :  9),  "  The 
zeal  of  thy  house  hath  eaten  me  up  ;  and  the  reproaches  of  them  that 
reproached  thee  are  fallen  upon  me ;"  that  is,  such  was  my  zeal  for  thee, 
that  the  reproaches  cast  on  thee  I  felt  as  if  directed  against  myself.  This 
psalm  is  so  frequently  quoted  and  applied  to  Christ  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, that  it  must  be  considered  as  directly  prophetical.  Compare  John 
^2 :  17.  15 :  25.  19 :  28.  Acts  1  :  20. 

(4)  For  whatsoever  things  were  written  aforetime  were  written  for 
OUT  learning,  that  we,  through  patience  and  comfort  of  the  scriptures, 
might  have  hope.  The  object  of  this  verse  is  not  so  much  to  show  the 
propriety  of  applying  the  passage  quoted  from  the  Psalms  to  Christ,  as 
to  show  that  the  facts  recorded  in  the  Scriptures  are  designed  for  our 
instruction.  The  character  of  Christ  is  there  portrayed,  that  we  may  fol- 
low his  example,  and  imbibe  his  spirit.  The  words  through  patience 
and  consolation  of  the  scriptures   may   be   taken  together,   and  mean, 


ROMANS  15:  1—13.  331 

through  that  patience  and  consolation  which  the  scriptures  produce  ;'  or 
the  words  through  patience  may  be  disconnected  from  the  word  scrip- 
tures^ and  the  sense  be,  '  that  we,  through  patience,  and  through  the  con- 
solation of  the  scriptures,'  &c.  The  former  method  is  the  most  com- 
monly adopted,  and  is  the  most  natural.  Might  have  hope;  this  may 
mean  that  the  design  of  the  divine  instructions  is,  to  prevent  ail  despond- 
ency, to  sustain  us  under  our  present  trials  ;  or  the  sense  is,  that  they  are 
intended  to  secure  the  attainment  of  the  great  object  of  our  hopes,  the 
blessedness  of  heaven.  Either  interpretation  of  the  word  hope  is  con- 
sistent with  usage,  and  gives  a  good  sense. 

(5)  Now  the  God  of  patience  and  consolation  grant  you  to  he  like 
minded  one  towards  another^  according  to  Jesus  Christ,  'May  God, 
who  is  the  author  of  patience  and  consolation,  grant,'  &c.  Here  the 
graces^  which  in  the  preceding  verse  are  ascribed  to  the  Scriptures,  are 
attributed  to  God  as  their  author,  because  he  produces  them  by  his  Spi- 
rit through  the  instrumentality  of  the  truth.  Paul  prays  that  God  would 
grant  them  that  concord  and  unanimity  which  he  had  so  strongly  ex- 
horted them  to  cherish.  The  expression  to  he  like  minded  does  not 
here  refer  to  unanimity  of  opinion,  but  to  harmony  of  feeling;  see  ch.  8  : 
5.  12  :  3.  According  to  Jesus  Christ,  i.  e.  agreeably  to  the  example  and 
command  of  Christ;  in  a  Christian  manner.  It  is,  therefore,  to  a  Chris- 
tian union  that  he  exhorts  them. 

(6)  That  ye  may  with  one  mind  and  with  one  mouth  glorify  God, 
even  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This  harmony  and  fellow- 
ship among  Christians  is  necessary  in  order  that  they  may  glorify  God 
aright.  To  honour  God  effectually  and  properly,  there  must  be  no  un- 
necessary dissensions  among  his  people.  God,  even  the  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  means  either  that  God  who  is  the  Father  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  ;  or  the  God  and  Father  of  Christ.  The  latter  is  the  more  correct 
rendering.  This  expression  occurs  frequently  in  the  New  Testament ; 
see  2  Cor.  1:3.  11  :  31.  Eph.  1  :  3.  1  Pet.  1:3.  It  means  that  God 
whom  Jesus  Christ  acknowledged  and  served,  and  who  stood  to  him  in 
the  relation  of  a  Father. 

(7)  Therefore  receive  ye  one  another,  as  Christ  also  hath  received  us, 
to  the  glory  of  God.  The  word  rendered  receive  has  the  same  sense 
here  that  it  has  in  ch.  14:  1.  '  Take  one  another  to  yourselves,  treat  one 
another  kindly,  even  as  Christ  has  kindly  taken  us  to  himself.'  The 
words  to  the  glory  of  God  may  be  connected  with  the  first  or  second 
clause,  or  with  both.  'Receive  ye  one  another  that  God  may  be  glori- 
fied ;'  or  '  as  Christ  has  received  us  in  order  that  God  might  be  glorified  ;' 
or,  if  referred  to  both  clauses,  the  idea  is,  '  as  the  glory  of  God  was  illus- 
trated and  promoted  by  Christ's  reception  of  us,  so  also  will  it  be  exhibited 
by  our  kind  treatment  of  each  other.'  The  first  method  seems  most  con- 
sistent with  the  context,  as  the  object  of  the  apostle  is  to  enforce  the  duty 
of  mutual  forbearance  among  Christians,  for  which  he  suggests  two. 


332  ROMANS  15:  1—13. 

motives,  the  kindness  of  Christ  towards  us,  and  the  promotion  of  the 
divine  glory. 

(8)  Now  I  say  that  Jesus  Christ  was  a  minister  of  the  circumcision  for 
the  truth  of  God,  to  confirm  the  promises  made  uiito  the  fathers.  This 
verse  follows  as  a  confirmation  or  illustration  of  the  preceding.  Now  I 
say,  i.  e.  this  I  mean.  The  apostle  intends  to  show  how  it  was  that 
Christ  had  received  those  to  whom  he  wrote.  He  had  come  to  minister 
to  the  Jews,  v.  8,  and  also  to  cause  the  Gentiles  to  glorify  God,  v.  9. 
The  expression  minister  of  the  circumcision  means  a  minister  sent  to  the 
Jews,  as  '  apostle  of  the  Gentiles'  means  '  an  apostle  sent  to  the  Gentiles.' 
For  the  truth  of  God,  i.  e.  to  maintain  the  truth  of  God  in  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  promises  made  to  the  fathers,  as  is  immediately  added. 
Christ  then  had  exhibited  the  greatest  condescension  and  kindness  in  com- 

^  ing  not  as  a  Lord  or  ruler,  but  as  an  humble  minister  to  the  Jews,  to 
accomplish  the  gracious  promises  of  God.  As  this  kindness  was  not 
confined  to  them,  but  as  the  Gentiles  also  were  received  into  his  kingdom 
and  united  with  the  Jews  on  equal  terms,  this  example  of  Christ  fur- 
nishes the  strongest  motives  for  the  cultivation  of  mutual  affection  and 
unanimity. 

(9)  ^nd  that  the  Gentiles  might  glorify  God  for  his  mercy.  The 
grammatical  connexion  of  this  sentence  with  the  preceding  is  not  very 
clear.  The  most  probable  explanation  is  that  which  makes  glorify  depend 
upon  /  say,  in  v.  8.  'I  say  that  Jesus  Christ  became  a  minister  to  the 
Jews,  and  I  say  the  Gentiles  glorify  God  ;'  it  was  thus  he  received  both. 
The  mercy  for  which  the  Gentiles  were  to  praise  God,  is  obviously  the 
great  mercy  of  being  received  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  made  par- 
takers of  all  its  blessings. 

^Q.s  it  is  written,  I  will  confess  to  thee  among  the  Gentiles,  and  sing 
unto  thy  name,  Ps.  18:  49.  In  this  and  the  following  quotations  from 
the  Old  Testament,  the  idea  is  more  or  less  distinctly  expressed,  that  true 
religion  was  to  be  extended  to  the  Gentiles,  and  they  therefore  all  include 
ti)e  promise  of  the  extension  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  to  them  as  well 
as  to  the  Jews. 

(10)  And  again.  Rejoice,  ye  Gentiles,  tvith  his  people.  This  passage 
is  commonly  considered  as  quoted  from  Deut.  32  :  43,  where  it  is  found 
in  the  Septuagint  precisely  as  it  stands  here.  The  Hebrew  has,  "  praise 
his  people,  0  ye  Gentiles,"  at  least  according  to  the  common  reading; 
according  to  some  few  MSS.  the  Hebrew  expresses  the  same  sense  as  the 
Septuagint.  There  is  another  difficulty  in  the  way  of  supposing  that  this 
is  a  quotation  from  Deut.  32  :  43  ;  the  sacred  writer  is  not  there  speaking 
of  the  blessing  of  the  Jews  being  extended  to  the  Gentiles,  but  seems 
lather  in  the  whole  context  to  be  denouncing  vengeance  on  them  as  the 
enemies  of  God's  people.  Calvin  and  others,  therefore,  refer  this  citation 
to  Ps.  67 :  3,  5,  where  the  sentiment  is  clearly  expressed  though  not  in 
precisely  the  same  words. 

(11)  And  again  praise  the  Lord,  all  ye  Gentiles ,-  and  laud  him,  all 


ROMANS  15 :  1—13.  333 

ye  people.     This  passage  is  from  Ps.  117  :  1,  and  strictly  to  the  apostle's 
purpose. 

(12)  And  again,  Esaias  saith.  There  shall  he  a  root  of  Jesse,  and  he 
that  shall  rise  to  rule  over  the  Gentiles  ,•  in  him  shall  the  Gentiles  trusty 
Isa.  11 :  1,  10.  This  is  an  explicit  prediction  of  the  dominion  of  the  Mes- 
siah over  other  nations  besides  the  Jews.  Here  again  the  apostle  follows 
the  Septuagint,  giving  however  the  sense  of  the  original  Hebrew.  The 
promise  of  the  prophet  is,  that  from  the  decayed  and  fallen  house  of  David 
one  should  arise  whose  dominion  should  embrace  all  nations,  and  in  whom 
Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews  should  trust.  In  the  fulfilmentof  this  prophecy 
Christ  came,  and  preached  salvation  to  those  who  were  near  and  to  those 
who  were  far  oft'.  As  both  classes  had  been  thus  kindly  received  by  the 
condescending  Saviour,  and  united  into  one  community,  they  should 
recognise  and  love  each  other  as  brethren,  laying  aside  all  censoriousness 
and  contempt,  neither  judging  nor  despising  one  another. 

(13)  Now  then  the  God  of  hope  Jill  you  with  all  joy  and  peace  in 
believing,  that  ye  may  abound  in  hope  through  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Paul  here,  as  in  v.  5,  concludes  by  praying  that  God  would  grant 
them  the  excellencies  which  it  was  their  duty  to  possess.  Thus  constantly 
and  intimately  are  the  ideas  of  accountableness  and  dependence  connected 
in  the  sacred  scriptures.  We  are  to  work  out  our  own  salvation,  because 
it  is  God  that  worketh  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do,  according  to  his  good 
pleasure.  The  God  of  hope,  i.  e.  God  who  is  the  author  of  thai  hope 
which  it  was  predicted  men  should  exercise  in  the  root  and  offspring  of 
Jesse. 

Fill  you  ivith  all  joy  and  peace  in  believing,  i.  e.  fill  you  with  that 
joy  and  concord  among  yourselves,  as  well  as  peace  of  conscience  and 
peace  towards  God,  which  are  the  results  of  genuine  faith.  That  ye  may 
abound  in  hope.  The  consequence  of  the  enjoyment  of  the  blessings,  and 
of  the  exercise  of  the  graces  just  referred  to,  would  be  an  increase  in  the 
strength  and  joyfulness  of  their  hope;  through  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  through  whom  all  good  is  given  and  all  good  exercised. 

CHAP.  15:  14—33. 

**And  I  myself  also  am  persuaded  of  you,  my  brethren,  that  ye  also  are 
full  of  goodness,  filled  with  all  knowledge,  able  also  to  admonish  one 
another.  ^^Nevertheless,  brethren,  I  have  written  the  more  boldly  unto 
you  in  some  sort,  as  putting  you  in  mind,  because  of  the  grace  that  is 
given  to  me  of  God,  ^•'that  I  should  be  the  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  to  the 
Gentiles,  ministering  the  gospel  of  God,  that  the  offering  up  of  the  Gen- 
tiles might  be  acceptable,  being  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  '^I  have, 
therefore,  whereof  I  may  glory  through  Jesus  Christ  in  those  things  which 
pertain  to  God.  ^^For  I  will  not  dare  to  speak  of  any  of  those  things 
which  Christ  hath  not  wrought  by  me,  to  make  the  Gentiles  obedient,  by 
word  and  deed,  ^''through  mighty  signs  and  wonders,  by  the  power  of 


334  ROMANS  15:  14—33. 

the  Spirit  of  God  ;  so  that  from  Jerusalem,  and  round  about  unto  Illyricum, 
I  have  fully  preached  the  gospel  of  Christ.  ^'^Yea,  so  have  I  strived  to 
preach  the  gospel,  not  where  Christ  was  named,  lest  I  should  build  upon 
another  man's  foundation :  ^^but  as  it  is  written,  To  whom  he  was  not 
spoken  of,  they  shall  see  :  and  they  that  have  not  heard  shall  understand. 
^^For  which  cause  also  I  have  been  much  hindered  from  coming  to  you. 
^^But  now  having  no  more  place  in  these  parts,  and  having  a  great  desire 
these  many  years  to  come  unto  you  ;  ^^whensoever  I  take  my  journey 
into  Spain,  I  will  come  to  you  :  for  I  trust  to  see  you  in  my  journey,  and 
to  be  brought  on  my  way  thitherward  by  you,  if  first  I  be  somewhat  filled 
with  your  company.  ^^Eni  now  I  go  unto  Jerusalem  to  minister  unto  the 
saints.  ^''For  it  hath  pleased  them  of  INIacedonia  and  Achaia  to  make  a 
certain  contribution  for  the  poor  saints  which  are  at  Jerusalem,  ^^it  hath 
pleased  them  verily  ;  and  their  debtors  they  are.  For  if  the  Gentiles 
have  been  made  partakers  of  their  spiritual  things,  their  duty  is  also  to 
minister  unto  them  in  carnal  things,  ^s^'^gn  therefore  I  have  performed 
this,  and  have  sealed  to  them  this  fruit,  I  will  come  by  you  into  Spain, 
29And  I  am  sure  that,  when  I  come  unto  you,  I  shall  come  in  the  fulness 
of  the  blessing  of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  ^"Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren, 
for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ's  sake,  and  for  the  love  of  the  Spirit,  that  ye 
strive  together  with  me  in  your  prayers  to  God  for  me;  ^^that  I  may  be 
delivered  from  them  that  do  not  believe  in  Judea ;  and  that  my  service 
which  /  have  for  Jerusalem  may  be  accepted  of  the  saints  ;  ^^that  I  may 
come  unto  you  with  joy  by  the  will  of  God,  and  may  with  you  be 
refreshed.     ^^Now  the  God  of  peace  he  with  you  all.     Amen. 

ANALYSIS. 

The  apostle,  in  the  conclusion  of  his  epistle,  assures  the  Romans  of  his 
confidence  in  them,  and  that  his  motive  for  writing  was  not  so  much  any 
idea  of  their  peculiar  deficiency,  as  the  desire  of  putting  them  in  mind 
of  those  things  which  they  already  knew,  vs.  14,  15.  This  he  was  the 
rather  entitled  to  do  on  account  of  his  apostolic  office  conferred  upon  him 
by  divine  appointment,  and  confirmed  by  the  signs  and  wonders  and 
abundant  success  with  which  God  had  crowned  his  ministry,  vs.  15,  16. 
He  had  sufficient  ground  of  confidence  in  this  respect,  in  the  results  of 
his  own  labours,  without  at  all  encroaching  upon  what  belonged  to  others, 
for  he  had  made  it  a  rule  not  to  preach  where  others  had  proclaimed  the 
gospel,  but  to  go  to  places  where  Christ  was  previously  unknown,  vs. 
17 — 21.  His  labours  had  been  such  as  hitherto  to  prevent  the  executioa 
of  his  purpose  to  visit  Rome.  Now,  however,  he  hoped  to  have  tha 
pleasure  on  his  way  to  Spain,  as  soon  as  he  had  accomplished  his  mission 
to  Jerusalem  with  the  contributions  of  the  Christians  in  Macedonia  and 
Achaia  for  the  poor  saints  in  Judea,  vs.  22 — 28.  Having  acomplished 
this  service,  he  hoped  to  visit  Rome  in  the  fulness  of  the  blessing  of  the 
gospel  of  Christ.  In  the  mean  time  he  begs  an  interest  in  their  prayers, 
and  commends  them  to  the  grace  of  God,  vs.  29 — 33. 


ROMANS  15:  14—33.  335 


COMMENTARY. 


(14)  And  I  myself  also  am  persuaded  of  you,  my  Irethren,  that  ye 
uho  are  full  of  goodness,  filled  with  all  knowledge,  able  also  to  admo- 
nish o?i€  another.  Paul  with  his  wonted  modesty  and  mildness,  apolo- 
gizes, as  it  were,  for  the  plainness  and  ardour  of  his  exhortations.  They 
were  given  from  no  want  of  confidence  in  the  Roman  Christians ;  and 
they  were  not  an  unwarrantable  assumption  of  authority  on  his  part.  The 
former  of  these  ideas  he  presents  in  this  verse,  and  the  latter  in  the  next. 
That  ye  also  are  full  of  goodness,  i.  e.  of  kind  and  conciliatory  feelings  : 
and  filled  vnth  all  knowledge,  i.  e.  abundantly  instructed  on  these  sub- 
jects, so  as  to  be  able  to  instruct  or  admonish  each  other.  It  was,  there- 
fore, no  want  of  confidence  in  their  disposition  or  ability  to  discharge  their 
duties,  that  led  him  to  write  to  them ;  his  real  motive  he  states  in  the 
next  verse. 

(15)  Nevertheless,  brethren,  I  have  written  the  more  boldly  unto  you, 
in  some  sort,  as  putting  you  in  mind,  because  of  the  grace  given  to 
me  of  God,  It  w^as  rather  to  remind  than  to  instruct  them  that  the  apos- 
tle wrote  thus  freely.  The  words  in  some  sort  may  qualify  the  words 
more  boldly,  '  I  have  written  somewhat  too  boldly.'  How  striking  the 
blandness  and  humility  of  the  great  apostle !  The  preceding  exhorta- 
tions and  instructions,  for  which  he  thus  apologizes,  are  full  of  affection 
and  heavenly  wisdom.  What  a  reproof  is  this  for  the  arrogant  and  de- 
nuhciatory  addresses  which  so  often  are  given  by  men  who  think  they 
have  Paul  for  an  example  !  These  words  {in  some  sort),  however,  may 
be  connected  with  I  have  written  ;  the  sense  would  then  be,  '  I  have  writ- 
ten in  part  (i.  e.  in  some  parts  of  my  epistle)  very  boldly.'  When  a  man 
acts  the  part  of  a  monitor  he  should  not  only  perform  the  duty  properly, 
but  he  should,  on  some  ground,  have  a  right  to  assume  this  office.  Paul, 
therefore,  says  that  he  reminded  the  Romans  of  their  duty,  because  he 
was  entitled  to  do  so  in  virtue  of  his  apostolical  character;  because  of  the 
grace  given  to  me  of  God.  Grace  here,  as  appears  from  the  context, 
signifies  the  apostleship,  which  Paul  represents  as  a  favour  ;  see  ch.  1  :  5. 

(16)  That  I  should  be  the  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  to  the  Gentiles. 
This  is  the  explanation  of  the  grace  given  to  him  of  God  ;  it  was  the 
favour  of  being  a  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  to  the  Gentiles.  Compare 
Eph.  3  :  8,  "  Unto  me,  who  am  the  least  of  all  saints,  is  this  grace  given, 
that  I  should  preach  among  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ."  The  word  rendered  minister  means  a  public  officer  or  servant; 
see  ch.  13  :  6,  where  it  is  applied  to  the  civil  magistrate.  It  is,  how- 
ever, very  frequently  used  (as  is  also  the  corresponding  verb)  of  those 
who  exercised  the  office  of  a  priest,  Deut.  10  :  8.  Heb.  10 :  11.  As  the 
whole  of  this  verse  is  figurative,  Paul  no  doubt  had  this  force  of  the  word 
in  his  mind  when  he  called  himself  a  minister,  a  sacred  officer  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  not  a  priest,  in  the  proper  sense  of  the  term,  for  the  ministers  of 
the  gospel  are  never  so  called  in  the  New  Testament,  but  merely  in  a 


336  ROMANS  15:  14—33. 

figurative  sense.  The  sacrifice  which  they  offer  are  the  people,  whom 
they  are  instrumental  in  bringing  unto  God. 

Ministering  the  gospel  of  God,  that  the  offering  up  of  the  Gentiles 
might  be  acceptable,  being  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  is  the 
apostle's  explanation  of  the  preceding  clause.  *  He  was  appointed  a 
minister  of  Christ  to  administer,  or  to  act  the  part  of  a  priest  in  reference 
to,  the  gospel,  that  is,  to  present  the  Gentiles  as  a  holy  sacrifice  to  God.* 
Paul,  therefore,  no  more  calls  himself  a  priest,  in  the  strict  sense  of  the 
terra,  than  he  calls  the  Gentiles  a  sacrifice  in  the  literal  meaning  of  that 
word.  Paul  thus  acted  the  part  of  a  priest  that  the  offering  of  the  Gen- 
tiles might  be  acceptable.  The  word  offering  sometimes  means  the  act 
of  oblation,  sometimes  the  thing  offered.  Our  translators  have  taken  it 
here  in  the  former  sense;  but  this  is  not  so  suitable  to  the  figure  or  the 
context.  It  was  not  Paul's  act  that  was  to  be  acceptable,  or  which  was 
*  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Spirit.'  The  latter  sense  of  the  word,  therefore, 
is  to  be  preferred;  and  the  meaning  is,  *That  the  Gentiles,  as  a  sacri- 
fice, might  be  acceptable;'  see  ch.  12:1.  Phil.  2:  17.  2Tim.  4:6. 
Being  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  As  the  sacrifices  were  purified  by 
water  and  other  means,  when  prepared  for  the  altar,  so  we  are  made  fit 
for  the  service  of  God,  rendered  holy  or  acceptable,  by  the  influences  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  In  this  beautiful  passage  we  see  the  nature  of  the  only 
priesthood  which  belongs  to  the  Christian  ministry.  It  is  not  their  office 
to  make  atonement  for  sin,  or  to  offer  a  propitiatory  sacrifice  to  God,  but 
by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  to  bring  men,  by  the  influence  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  to  offer  themselves  as  a  living  sacrifice,  holy  and  acceptable  to 
God. 

(17)  /  have  therefore  whereof  to  glory,  through  Jesus  Christ,  in  those 
things  which  pertain  to  God.  That  is,  '  seeing  I  have  received  this 
office  of  God,  and  am  appointed  a  minister  of  the  gospel  to  the  Gentiles, 
I  have  ground  of  confidence  and  rejoicing.'  As,  in  the  previous  verses, 
Paul  had  asserted  his  divine  appointment  as  an  apostle,  he  shows,  in  this 
and  the  following  verses,  that  the  assertion  was  well  founded,  as  God 
had  crowned  his  labours  with  success,  and  sealed  his  ministry  with 
signs  and  wonders.  He,  therefore,  was  entitled,  as  a  minister  of  God, 
to  exhort  and  admonish  his  brethren  with  the  boldness  and  authority 
which  he  had  used  in  this  epistle.  This  ground  of  boasting,  however, 
he  had  only  in  or  through  Jesus  Christ,  all  was  to  be  attributed  to  him; 
and  it  was  in  reference  to  things  pertaining  to  God,  i.  e.  the  preaching 
and  success  of  the  gospel,  not  to  his  personal  advantages  or  worldly  dis- 
tinctions. 

(18,  19)  In  these  verses  the  apostle  explains  more  fully  what  he  had 
intended  by  saying  he  had  ground  of  confidence  or  boasting.  It  was  that 
God  had  borne  abundant  testimony  to  his  claims  as  a  divinely  commis- 
sioned preacher  of  the  gospel ;  so  that  he  had  no  need  to  refer  to  what 
others  had  done ;  he  was  satisfied  to  rest  his  claims  on  the  results  of  his 
own  labours,  and  the  testimony  of  God.    For  I  will  not  dare  to  speak 


ROMANS  15:  11—33.  337 

of  any  of  those  things  which  Christ  hath  not  lor ought  hy  me.  That 
is,  '  I  will  not  claim  the  credit  due  to  others,  or  appeal  to  results  which  1 
have  not  been  instrumental  in  effecting.'  It  is  to  be  remarked  that  the 
apostle  represents  himself  as  merely  an  instrument  in  the  hands  of  Christ 
for  the  conversion  of  men ;  the  real  efficiency  he  ascribes  to  the  Re- 
deemer. This  passage,  therefore,  exhibits  evidence  that  Paul  regarded 
Christ  as  still  exercising  a  controlling  agency  over  the  souls  of  men,  and 
Tendering  effectual  the  labours  of  his  faithful  ministers.  Such  power  the 
sacred  writers  never  attribute  to  any  being  but  God.  To  make  the  Gen- 
tiles obedient^  i.  e.  to  the  gospel ;  compare  ch.  1 :  5,  where  the  same  form 
of  expression  occurs.  The  obedience  of  which  Paul  speaks  is  the  sin- 
cere obedience  of  the  heart  and  life.  This  result  he  says  Christ  effected, 
through  his  instrumentality,  hy  word  and  deed,  not  merely  by  truth,  but 
also  by  those  means  which  Christ  employed  to  render  the  truth  effectual. 
What  is  to  be  understood  by  this  expression,  or  how  the  truth  was  ren- 
dered effectual,  is  explained  in  the  next  verse. 

(19)  Through  mighty  signs  and  wonders,  hy  the  power  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  i.  e.  by  miracles,  and  by  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
This  passage  is,  therefore,  analogous  to  that  in  1  Cor.  2 :  4,  "  My  speech 
and  preaching  was  not  in  the  enticing  words  of  man's  wisdom,  but  in 
demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of  power."  That  is,  he  relied  for  suc- 
cess, not  on  his  own  skill  or  eloquence,  but  on  the  powerful  demonstra- 
tion of  the  Spirit.  This  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  consisted  partly  in 
the  miracles  which  he  enabled  the  first  preachers  of  the  gospel  to  per- 
form, and  partly  in  the  influence  with  which  he  attended  the  truth  to  the 
hearts  and  consciences  of  those  that  believed ;  see  Gal.  3  :  2 — 5.  Heb. 
2:4. 

So  that  from  Jerusalem,  and  round  about  unto  lUyricum,  I  have  fully 
preached  the  gospel  of  Christ.  That  is,  I  have  been  so  aided  and  blessed 
of  God,  that  throughout  a  most  extensive  region  I  have  successfully 
preached  the  gospel.  God  had  given  his  seal  to  Paul's  apostleship  by 
making  him  so  abundantly  useful.  /  have  fully  preached  expresses,  no 
doubt,  the  sense  of  the  original,  to  bring  the  gospel  (i.  e.  the  preaching 
of  it)  to  an  end,  to  accomplish  it  thoroughly;  see  Col.  1 :  25.  In  this 
wide  circuit  had  the  apostle  preached,  founding  churches,  and  advancing 
the  Redeemer's  kingdom  with  such  evidence  of  the  divine  co-operation, 
as  to  leave  no  ground  of  doubt  that  he  was  a  divinely  appointed  minister 
of  Christ. 

(20,  21)  In  further  confirmation  of  this  point,  Paul  states  that  he  had 
not  acted  the  part  of  a  pastor  merely,  but  of  an  apostle  or  founder  of  the 
church,  disseminating  the  gospel  where  it  was  before  unknown,  so  that 
the  evidence  of  his  apostleship  might  be  undeniable ;  compare  1  Cor.  9 : 
2,  "  If  I  be  not  an  apostle  unto  others,  yet  doubtless  I  am  to  you  ;  for  the 
seal  of  my  apostleship  are  ye  in  the  Lord ;"  and  2  Cor.  3 :  2,  3,  Yea,  so 
have  I  strived  to  preach  the  gospel,  not  where  Christ  was  named,  lest 
/should  build  on  another  man's  foundation;  that  is,  '  I  have  been  desirous 

2F 


338  ROMANS  15:  14—33. 

of  not  preaching  where  Christ  was  before  known,  but  in  such  a  v/ay  as  to 
accomplish  the  prediction  that  those  who  had  not  heard  should  under- 
stand.' The  motive  which  influenced  him  in  taking  this  course  was,  lest 
he  should  build  upon  another  mail's  foundation.  This  may  mean  either, 
lest  I  should  appropriate  to  myself  the  result  of  other  men's  labours  ;  or, 
lest  I  should  act  the  part,  not  of  an  apostle  (to  which  I  was  called),  but 
of  a  simple  pastor. 

(21)  But,  as  it  is  written,  To  whom  he  was  not  spoken  of,  they  shall 
see;  and  they  that  have  not  heard  shall  understand.  That  is,  I  acted 
in  the  spirit  of  the  prediction,  that  Christ  should  be  preached  where  he 
had  not  been  known.  It  had  been  foretold  in  Isa.  52:  15,  that  Christ 
should  be  preached  to  the  Gentiles,  and  to  those  who  had  never  heard  of 
his  name ;  it  was  in  accordance  with  this  prediction  that  Paul  acted. 
There  is,  however,  no  objection  to  considering  this  passage  as  merely  an 
expression,  in  borrowed  language,  of  the  apostle's  own  ideas  ;  the  mean- 
ing then  is,  '  I  endeavoured  to  preach  the  gospel  not  where  Christ  was 
named,  but  to  cause  those  to  see  to  whom  he  had  not  been  announced, 
and  those  to  understand  who  had  not  heard.'  This  is  in  accordance  with 
the  apostle's  manner  of  using  the  language  of  the  Old  Testament;  see 
ch.  10:  15,  18.  But  as,  in  this  case,  the  passage  cited  is  clearly  a  pre- 
diction, the  first  method  of  explanation  should  probably  be  preferred. 

(22)  For  which  cause  also  I  have  been  much  hindered  from  coming 
to  you.  That  is,  his  desire  to  make  Christ  known  where  he  had  not  been 
named,  had  long  prevented  his  intended  journey  to  Rome,  where  he  knew 
the  gospel  had  already  been  preached. 

(23)  But  now  having  no  more  place  in  these  parts,  and  having  a 
great  desire  these  m,any  years  to  come  unto  you,  &c.  The  expression 
having  no  more  place,  in  this  connexion,  would  seem  obviously  to  mean 
♦having  no  longer  a  place  in  these  parts  where  Christ  is  not  known.' 
This  idea  is  included  in  the  declaration  that  he  had  fully  preached  the 
gospel  in  all  that  region.  Others  take  the  word  rendered  place  to  signify 
occasion,  opportunity,  '  Having  no  longer  an  opportunity  of  preaching 
here;'  see  Acts  25  :  16.  Heb.  12  :  17. 

(24)  Whensoever  I  take  my  journey  into  Spain,  I  will  come  to  you  ; 
for  I  trust  to  see  you  on  my  journey,  and  to  be  brought  in  my  ivay 
thitherward  by  you,  if  first  I  be  somewhat  filled  with  your  company. 
Whensoever,  as  soon  as  ;  '  As  soon  as  I  take  my  journey,'  &c.  Whether 
Paul  ever  accomplished  his  purpose  of  visiting  Spain  is  a  matter  of 
doubt.  There  is  no  historical  record  of  his  having  done  so,  either  in  the 
New  Testament  or  in  the  early  ecclesiastical  writers  ;  though  most  of 
those  writers  seem  to  have  taken  it  for  granted.  His  whole  plan  was 
probably  deranged  by  the  occurrences  at  Jerusalem,  which  led  to  his  long 
imprisonment  at  Cesarea,  and  his  being  sent  in  bonds  to  Rome.  To  be 
brought  on  my  way ;  the  original  word  means,  in  the  active  voice,  to 
attend  any  one  on  a  journey  for  some  distance,  as  an  expression  of  kind- 


ROMANS  15  :  14—33.  339 

ness  and  respect;  and  also  to  make  provision  for  his  journey  ;  see  Acts 
15 :  3.  20 :  38.  1  Cor.  16:6.  2  Cor.  1 :  16. 

(25)  But  now  I  go  unto  Jerusalem  to  minister  unto  the  saints,  i.  e. 
to  supply  the  wants  of  the  saints,  distributing  to  them  the  contributions 
of  the  churches ;  see  Heb.  6:10;  compare  also  Matt.  8  :  15.  Mark  1 : 
31.  Luke  4 :  39,  in  which  places  the  word  signifies  to  set  foot  before  any 
one;  and,  hence,  more  generally,  to  supply  his  necessities. 

(26,  27)  For  it  hath  pleased  them  of  Macedonia  and  Mhaia  to  make 
a  contribution  for  the  poor  saints  which  are  at  Jerusalem.  Having 
mentioned  this  fact,  the  apostle  immediately  seizes  the  opportunity  of 
showing  the  reasonableness  and  duty  of  making  these  contributions. 
This  he  does  in  such  a  way  as  not  to  detract  from  the  credit  due  to  the 
Grecian  churches,  while  he  shows  that  it  was  but  a  matter  of  justice  to 
act  as  they  had  done.  It  hath  pleased  them  verily  ;  and  their  debtors 
they  are,  i.  e.  '  It  pleased  them  /  say,  they  did  it  voluntarily,  yet  it  was 
but  reasonable  they  should  do  it.'  The  ground  of  this  statement  is  im- 
mediately added  :  For  if  the  Gentiles  have  been  made  partakers  of  their 
spiritual  things,  their  duty  is  also  to  minister  to  them  in  carnal  things, 
*  If  the  Gentiles  have  received  the  greater  good  from  the  Jews,  they  may 
well  be  expected  to  contribute  the  lesser.'  The  word  rendered  to  minister 
may  have  the  general  sense  of  serving ,-  or  it  may  be  used  with  some 
allusion  to  the  service  being  a  sacred  duty,  a  kind  of  offering  which  is 
acceptable  to  God. 

(28)  When,  therefore,  I  have  done  this,  and  sealed  unto  them  this  fruit, 
I  will  come  by  you  into  Spain.  The  word  sealed  appears  here  to  be 
used  figuratively,  '  When  I  have  safely  delivered  this  fruit  to  them.' 
Commentators  compare  the  use  of  the  Latin  words  consignare,  consigna- 
tio,  and  of  the  English  word  consign. 

(29)  And  I  am  sure  that  when  I  come  unto  you,  I  shall  come  in  the  fuU 
ness  of  the  blessing  of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  The  fulness  of  the  blessing 
means  the  abundant  blessing.  Paul  was  persuaded  that  God,  who  had 
so  richly  crowned  his  labours  in  other  places,  would  cause  his  visit  to 
Rome  to  be  attended  by  those  abundant  blessings  which  the  gospel  of 
Christ  is  adapted  to  produce.  He  had,  in  ch.  1:11,  expressed  his  desire 
to  visit  the  Roman  Christians,  that  he  might  impart  unto  them  some  spi- 
ritual gift,  to  the  end  that  they  might  be  established. 

(30)  Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  for  our  Lord  Jesus  ChrisVs  sake, 
and  for  the  love  of  the  Spirit,  that  ye  strive  together  with  me  in  your  pray^ 
ers  to  God  for  me.  As  the  apostle  was  not  immediately  to  see  them,  and 
knew  that  he  would,  in  the  mean  time,  be  exposed  to  many  dangers,  he 
earnestly  begged  them  to  aid  him  with  their  prayers.  He  enforces  this 
request  by  the  tenderest  considerations;  for  our  Lord  Jesus  Chrisfs 
sake,  i.  e.  out  of  regard  to  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  *  Whatever  regard  you  have 
for  him,  and  whatever  desire  to  see  his  cause  prosper  in  which  I  am 
engaged,  let  it  induce  you  to  pray  for  me.'  And  for  the  love  of  the  Spirit, 
i.  e.  '  for  that  love  of  which  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  author,  and  by  which 


340  ROMANS  15:  14—33. 

he  binds  the  hearts  of  Christians  together,  I  beseech  you,'  &c.  He  ap 
peals,  therefore,  not  only  to  their  love  of  Christ,  but  to  their  love  for  him 
self  as  a  fellow  Christian.  That  ye  strive  together  tuith  me,  i.  e.  tha* 
ye  aid  me  in  my  conflict  by  taking  part  in  it.  This  they  were  to  do  bj 
their  prayers. 

(31)  That  I  may  he  delivered  from  them  that  do  not  believe  in  Judea.' 
There  are  three  objects  for  which  he  particularly  wished  them  to  pray  ^ 
his  safety,  the  successful  issue  of  his  mission,  and  that  he  might  come  to 
them  with  joy.  How  much  reason  Paul  had  to  dread  the  violence  of  the 
unbelieving  Jews,  is  evident  from  the  history  given  of  this  visit  to  Jeru 
salem,  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  They  endeavoured  to  destroy  his 
life,  accused  him  to  the  Roman  governor,  and  effected  his  imprisonment 
for  two  years  in  Cesarea,  whence  he  was  sent  in  chains  to  Rome.  Nor 
were  his  apprehensions  confined  to  the  unbelieving  Jews ;  he  knew  that 
even  the  Christians  there,  from  their  narrowminded  prejudices  against 
him  as  a  preacher  to  the  Gentiles,  and  as  the  advocate  of  the  liberty  of 
Christians  from  the  yoke  of  the  Mosaic  law,  were  greatly  imbittered 
against  him.  He,  therefore,  begs  the  Roman  believers  to  pray  that  tht 
service  which  (he  had)  for  Jerusalem  might  be  accepted  of  the  saints. 
The  words  service  which  I  have,  &c.  means  the  contribution  which  I  carry 
to  Jerusalem  ;  see  the  use  of  this  word  in  2  Cor.  8  :  4.  9  :  1,  13.  Paul 
laboured  for  those  whom  he  knew  regarded  him  with  little  favour ;  he 
calls  them  saints,  recognises  their  Christian  character,  notwithstanding 
their  unkindness,  and  urges  his  brethren  to  pray  that  they  might  be  will- 
ing to  accept  of  kindness  at  his  hands. 

(32)  That  I  may  come  unto  you  with  joy  by  the  will  of  God,  and 
that  I  may  with  you  be  refreshed.  These  words  may  depend  upon  the 
former  part  of  the  preceding  verse,  '  Pray  that  I  may  come ;'  or,  upon  the 
latter  part,  '  Pray  that  I  may  be  delivered  from  the  Jews,  and  my  contri- 
butions be  accepted,  so  that  I  may  come  with  joy,'  &c.  By  the  will  of 
God,  i.  e.  by  the  permission  and  favour  of  God.  Paul  seemed  to  look 
forward  to  his  interview  with  the  Christians  at  Rome,  as  a  season  of 
relief  from  conflict  and  labour.  In  Jerusalem  he  was  beset  by  unbeliev- 
ing Jews,  and  harassed  by  Judaizing  Christians;  in  most  other  places 
he  was  burdened  with  the  care  of  the  churches ;  but  at  Rome,  which  he 
looked  upon  as  a  resting-place  rather  than  a  field  of  labour,  he  hoped  to 
gather  strength  for  the  prosecution  of  his  apostolic  labours  in  still  more 
distant  lands. 

(33)  Now  the  peace  of  God  be  with  you  all.  As  he  begged  them  to 
pray  for  him,  so  he  prays  for  them.  It  is  a  prayer  of  one  petition ;  so  full 
of  meaning,  however,  that  no  other  need  be  added.  The  peace  of  God, 
that  peace  which  God  gives,  includes  all  the  mercies  necessary  for  the 
perfect  blessedness  of  the  soul. 

DOCTRINES. 

1.  The  sacred  scriptures  are  designed  for  men  in  all  ages  of  the  world, 
nd  the  the  great  source  of  religious  knowledge  and  consolation,  v.  4. 


ROMANS  15:  14—33.  341 

2.  The  moral  excellencies  which  we  are  justly  required  to  attain,  and 
the  consolations  which  we  are  commanded  to  seek  in  the  use  of  appro- 
priate means,  are  still  the  gifts  of  God.  There  is,  therefore,  no  incon- 
sistency between  the  d)ctrines  of  free  agency  and  dependence,  vs.  5,  13. 

3.  Those  are  to  be  received  and  treated  as  Christians  whom  Christ 
himself  has  received.  Men  have  no  right  to  make  terras  of  communion 
which  Christ  has  not  made,  v.  7. 

4.  There  is  no  distinction  under  the  gospel  between  the  Jew  and  Gen- 
tile; Christ  has  received  both  classes  upon  the  same  terms  and  to  the 
same  privileges,  vs.  8 — 12. 

5.  The  quotation  of  the  predictions  of  the  Old  Testament  by  the  sacred 
writers  of  the  New,  and  the  application  of  them  in  proof  of  their  doctrines, 
involves  an  acknowledgment  of  the  divine  authority  of  the  ancient  pro- 
phets. And  as  these  predictions  are  quoted  indiscriminately  from  all 
parts  of  the  Old  Testament,  it  is  evident  that  the  apostles  believed  in  the 
inspiration  of  all  the  books  included  in  the  sacred  canon  by  the  Jews, 
vs.  9—12. 

6.  Christian  ministers  are  not  priests,  i.  e.  they  are  not  appointed  to 
"  offer  gifts  and  sacrifices  for  sins."  It  is  no  part  of  their  work  to  make 
atonement  for  the  people  ;  this  Christ  has  done  by  the  one  offering  up  of 
himself,  whereby  he  has  for  ever  perfected  them  that  are  sanctified, 
v.  16. 

7.  The  truth  of  the  gospel  has  been  confirmed  by  God,  through  mighty 
signs  and  wonders  and  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Infidelity,  there- 
fore, is  a  disbelief  of  the  testimony  of  God.  When  God  has  given  satis- 
factory evidence  of  the  mission  of  his  servants,  the  sin  of  unbelief  is  not 
relieved  by  the  denial  that  the  evidence  is  satisfactory.  If  the  gospel  is 
true,  therefore,  infidelity  will  be  found  not  merely  to  be  a  mistake,  but  a 
crime,  v.  19. 

8.  The  success  of  a  minister  in  winning  souls  to  Christ  may  be  fairly 
appealed  to  as  evidence  that  he  preaches  the  truth.  It  is,  when  clearly 
ascertained,  as  decided  an  evidence  as  the  performance  of  a  miracle; 
because  it  is  as  really  the  result  of  a  divine  agency.  This,  however, 
like  all  other  evidence,  to  be  of  any  value,  must  be  carefully  examined 
and  faithfully  applied.  The  success  may  be  real,  and  the  evidence  deci- 
sive, but  it  may  be  applied  improperly.  The  same  man  may  preach 
(and  doubtless  every  uninspired  man  does  preach)  both  truth  and  error ; 
God  may  sanction  and  bless  the  truth,  and  men  m«y  appeal  to  this  bless- 
ing in  support  of  the  error.  This  is  often  done.  Success,  therefore,  is  of 
itself  a  very  difficult  test  for  us  to  apply  ;  and  must  ever  be  held  subject 
to  the  authority  of  the  Scriptures.  Nothing  can  prove  that  to  be  true 
which  the  Bible  pronounces  to  be  false,  vs.  18,  19. 

9.  Prayer  (and  even  intercessory  prayer)  has  a  real  and  important  effi- 
cacy ;  not  merely  in  its  influence  on  the  mind  of  him  who  offers  it,  but 
also  in  securing  the  blessings  for  which  we  pray.  Paul  directed  thu 
Roman  Christians  to  pray  for  the  exercise  of  the  divine  providence  in  pro- 

2f2 


342  ROMANS  15:  14—33. 

tecting  him  from  danger,  and  for  the  Holy  Spirit  to  influence  the  minds 
of  the  brethren  in  Jerusalem.  This  he  would  not  have  done  were  such 
petitions  of  no  avail,  vs.  30,  31. 

REMARKS. 

1.  The  duty  of  a  disinterested  and  kind  regard  to  others  in  the  exercise 
of  our  Christian  liberty  is  one  of  the  leading  topics  of  this,  as  it  is  of  the 
preceding  chapter,  vs.  1 — 13. 

2.  The  desire  to  please  others  should  be  wisely  directed,  and  spring 
from  right  motives.  We  should  not  please  them  to  their  own  injury,  nor 
from  the  wish  to  secure  their  favour ;  but  for  their  good,  that  they  may  be 
edified,  v.  2. 

3.  The  character  and  conduct  of  Jesus  Christ  are  at  once  the  most  per- 
fect model  of  excellence  and  the  most  persuasive  motive  to  obedience. 
The  dignity  of  his  person,  the  greatness  of  his  condescension,  the  severity 
of  his  sufferings,  the  fervour  of  his  love  towards  us,  all  combine  to  render 
his  example  eflfective  in  humbling  us  in  view  of  our  own  short-comings, 
and  in  exciting  us  to  walk  even  as  he  walked,  vs.  4 — 13. 

4.  We  should  constantly  resort  to  the  Scriptures  for  instruction  and 
consolation.  They  were  written  for  this  purpose;  and  we  have  no  right 
to  expect  these  blessings  unless  we  use  the  means  appointed  for  their 
attainment.  As  God,  however,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  works 
all  good  in  us,  we  should  rely  neither  on  the  excellence  of  the  means  nor 
the  vigour  and  diligence  of  our  own  exertions,  but  on  his  blessing,  which 
is  to  be  sought  by  prayer,  vs.  4,  5,  13. 

5.  The  dissensions  of  Christians  are  dishonourable  to  God.  They 
must  be  of  one  mind,  i.  e.  sincerely  and  affectionately  united,  if  they 
would  glorify  their  Father  in  heaven,  vs.  5 — 7. 

6.  A  monitor  or  instructer  should  be  full  of  goodness  and  knowledge. 
The  human  heart  resists  censoriousness,  pride,  and  ill  feeling  in  an 
admonisher ;  and  is  thrown  into  such  a  state  by  the  exhibition  of  these 
evil  dispositions,  that  the  truth  is  little  likely  to  do  it  any  good.  As  oil 
poured  on  water  smooths  its  surface,  and  renders  it  transparent;  so  does 
kindness  calm  the  minds  of  men,  and  prepares  them  for  the  ready  entrance 
of  the  truth.  Besides  these  qualifications,  he  who  admonishes  others 
should  be  entitled  thus  to  act.  It  is  not  necessary  that  this  title  should 
rest  on  his  official  station  ;  but  there  should  be  superiority  of  some  kind, 
of  age,  excellence,  or  knowledge,  to  give  his  admonitions  due  effect. 
Paul's  peculiar  modesty,  humility,  and  mildness,  should  serve  as  an 
example  to  us,  vs.  14,  15. 

7.  We  should  be  careful  not  to  build  improperly  on  another  man's 
foundation.  Pastors  and  teachers  must  of  course  preach  Christ  where  he 
had  before  been  known ;  but  they  should  not  appropriate  to  themselves 
the  results  of  the  labours  of  others,  or  boast  of  things  which  Christ  has 
not  wrought  by  them.  The  man  who  reaps  the  harvest  is  not  always  he 
who  sowed  the  seed.    One  plants  and  another  waters,  but  God  giveth  tho 


ROMANS  16:   1—27.  343 

increase.     So  then  neither  is  he  that  planteth  any  thing,  neither  he  that 
waterelh,  but  God  that  giveth  the  increase,  vs.  19,  20. 

8.  It  is  the  duty  of  those  who  have  the  means  to  contribute  to  the  ne- 
cessities of  others,  and  especially  to  the  wants  of  those  from  whom  they 
themselves  have  received  good,  vs.  26,  27. 

9.  The  fact  that  men  are  prejudiced  against  us  is  no  reason  why  we 
should  not  do  them  good.  The  Jewish  Christians  were  ready  to  de- 
nounce Paul,  and  to  cast  out  his  name  as  evil ;  yet  he  collected  contri- 
butions for  them,  and  was  very  solicitous  that  they  should  accept  of  his 
services,  v.  31. 

10.  Danger  is  neither  to  be  courted  nor  fled  from;  but  encountered 
with  humble  trust  in  God,  v.  31. 

11.  We  should  pray  for  others  in  such  a  way  as  really  to  enter  into 
their  trials  and  conflicts ;  and  believe  that  our  prayers,  when  sincere, 
are  a  real  and  great  assistance  to  them.  It  is  a  great  blessing  to  have  an 
interest  in  the  prayers  of  the  righteous. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


CONTENTS. 


In  this  concluding  chapter  Paul  first  commends  to  the  church  at  Rome 
the  deaconess  Phebe,  vs.  1,  2.  He  then  sends  his  salutations  to  many 
members  of  the  church,  and  other  Christians  who  were  then  at  Rome, 
vs.  3 — 16.  He  earnestly  exhorts  his  brethren  to  avoid  those  who  cause 
contentions  ;  and,  after  commending  their  obedience,  he  prays  for  God's 
blessing  upon  them,  vs.  17 — 21.  Salutations  from  the  apostle's  com- 
panions, vs.  22 — 24.     The  concluding  doxology,  vs.  25 — 27. 

CHAP.  16:  1—27. 

*I  commend  unto  you  Phebe,  our  sister,  which  is  a  servant  of  the  church 
which  is  at  Cenchrea:  ^that  ye  receive  her  in  the  Lord,  as  becometh 
saints,  and  that  ye  assist  her  in  whatsoever  business  she  hath  need  of 
you  :  for  she  hath  been  a  succourer  of  many,  and  of  myself  also.  ^Greet 
Priscilla  and  Aquila,  my  helpers  in  Christ  Jesus :  *who  have  for  my 
life  laid  down  their  own  necks  :  unto  whom  not  only  I  give  thanks,  but 
also  all  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles.  ^Likewise  greet  the  church  that  is 
in  their  house.  Salute  my  well  beloved  Epenetus,  who  is  the  first-fruits 
of  Achaia  unto  Christ.  ^Greet  Mary,  who  bestowed  much  labour  on  us. 
''Salute  Andronicus  and  Junia,  my  kinsmen,  and  my  fellow  prisoners, 
who  are  of  note  among  the  apostles,  who  also  were  in  Christ  before  me. 
^Greet  Amplias  my  beloved  in  the  Lord.    ^Salute  Urbane,  our  helper  in 


344  ROMANS  16:  1—27. 

Christ,  and  Stachys  my  beloved.  "Salute  Apelles,  approved  in  Christ. 
Salute  them  which  are  of  Aristobulus'  household.  **Salute  Herodion 
my  kinsman.  Greet  them  that  be  of  the  household  of  Narcissus  which 
are  in  the  Lord,  ^^g^lute  Tryphena  and  Tryphosa,  who  labour  in  tne 
Lord.  Salute  the  beloved  Persis,  which  laboured  much  in  the  Lord. 
^^Salute  Rufus,  chosen  in  the  Lord,  and  his  mother  and  mine.  **Salute 
Asyncritus,  Phlegon,  Hermas,  Patrobas,  Hermes,  and  the  brethren  which 
are  with  them.  *^Salute  Philologus,  and  Julia,  Nereus,  and  his  sister, 
and  Olympas,  and  all  the  saints  which  are  with  them.  ^^Salute  one 
another  with  an  holy  kiss.  The  churches  of  Christ  salute  you.  '^I'^ow 
1  beseech  you  brethren,  mark  them  which  cause  divisions  and  offences 
contrary  to  the  doctrine  which  ye  have  learned  ;  and  avoid  them.  ^^For 
they  that  are  such  serve  not  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  their  own  belly ; 
and  by  good  words  and  fair  speeches  deceive  the  hearts  of  the  simple. 
=^8For  your  obedience  is  come  abroad  unto  all  men.  I  am  glad  therefore 
on  your  behalf:  but  yet  I  would  have  you  wise  unto  that  which  is  good 
and  simple  concerning  evil.  ^^k.n^  the  God  of  peace  shall  bruise  Satan 
under  your  feet  shortly.  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  he  with 
you.  Amen.  ^^Timotheus  my  work-fellow,  and  Lucius,  and  Jason,  and 
Sosipater,  my  kinsmen,  salute  you.  ^"1,  Tertius,  who  wrote  this  epistle, 
salute  you  in  the  Lord.  ^sQ^ius  mine  host,  and  of  the  whole  church, 
saluteth  you.  Erastus  the  chamberlain  of  the  city  saluteth  you,  and 
Quartus  a  brother.  ^^The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  he  with  you 
all.  Amen.  ^^Now  to  him  that  is  of  power  to  stablish  you  according  to 
my  gospel,  and  the  preaching  of  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  the  revela- 
tion of  the  mystery,  which  was  kept  secret  since  the  world  began,  ^s^ut 
now  is  made  manifest,  and  by  the  scriptures  of  the  prophets,  according 
to  the  commandment  of  the  everlasting  God,  made  known  to  all  nations 
for  the  obedience  of  faith  :  ^rto  God  only  wise,  he  glory  through  Jesus 
Christ  for  ever.   Amen. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1)  /  commend  unto  you  Phehe  our  sister ,  which  is  a  servant  of  the 
church  which  is  at  Cenchrea.  Corinth,  being  situated  on  a  narrow  isth- 
mus, had  two  ports,  one  towards  Europe,  and  the  other  towards  Asia. 
The  latter  was  called  Cenchrea,  where  a  church  had  been  organized,  of 
which  Phebe  was  a  servant^  i.  e.  deaconess.  It  appears  that  in  the  apos- 
tolic church  elderly  females  were  selected  to  attend  upon  the  poor  and 
sick  of  their  own  sex.  Many  ecclesiastical  writers  suppose  there  were 
two  classes  of  these  female  officers ;  the  one  (corresponding,  in  some 
measure,  in  their  duties  to  the  elders)  having  the  oversight  of  the  con- 
duct of  the  younger  female  Christians;  and  the  other  whose  duty  was  to 
attend  to  the  sick  and  the  poor. 

(2)  That  ye  receive  her  in  the  Lord.  The  words  in  the  Lord  may 
be  connected  either  with  receive,  *  receive  her  in  a  religious  manner,  and 
from  religious  motives ;'  or  with  the  pronoun,  her  in  the  Lordj  her  as  a 


ROMANS  16:  1—27.  jS4$ 

Christian.  The  apostle  presents  two  considerations  to  enforce  this  ex- 
hortation ;  first,  regard  for  their  Christian  character ;  and,  secondly,  the 
service  which  Phebe  had  rendered  to  others.  As  hecometh  saints ;  this 
expression  at  once  describes  the  manner  in  which  they  ought  to  receive 
her,  and  suggests  the  motive  for  so  doing.  And  that  ye  assist  her  in 
whatsoever  business  she  hath  need  of  you.  They  were  not  only  to  receive 
her  with  courtesy  and  affection,  but  to  aid  her  in  any  way  in  which  she 
required  their  assistance.  The  words  in  whatsoever  business  are  to  be 
taken  very  generally,  in  whatever  matter,  or  in  whatever  respect.  For 
she  hath  been  a  succourer  of  many,  and  of  mysef  also.  The  word  sue- 
courer  means  a  patroness,  a  benefactor ;  it  is  a  highly  honourable  title. 
As  she  had  so  frequently  aided  others,  it  was  but  reasonable  that  she 
should  be  assisted. 

(3)  Salute  Priscilla  and  Aquila,  my  helpers  in  Christ  Jesus,  i.  e.  my 
fellow  labourers  in  the  promotion  of  the  gospel.  Aquila  and  Priscilla 
are  mentioned  in  Acts  18 :  2,  as  having  left  Rome  in  consequence  of  the 
edict  of  Claudius.  After  remaining  at  Ephesus  a  long  time,  it  seems 
that  they  had  returned  to  Rome,  and  were  there  when  Paul  wrote  this 
letter.  Acts  18  :  18,  26.  1  Cor.  16  :  19.  2  Tim.  4  :  19. 

(4)  TVho  have  for  my  life  laid  down  their  own  necks,  i.  e.  they  ex- 
posed themselves  to  imminent  peril  to  save  me.  On  what  occasion  this 
was  done  is  not  recorded.  Unto  whom  not  only  I  give  thanks,  but 
also  all  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles.  Their  courageous  and  disinterested 
conduct  must  have  been  generally  known,  and  called  forth  the  grateful 
acknowledgments  of  all  the  churches  interested  in  the  preservation  of  a 
life  so  precious  as  that  of  the  apostle. 

(5)  The  church  that  is  in  their  house.  These  words  are  understood, 
by  many  of  the  Greek  and  modern  commentators,  to  mean  their  Chris- 
tian family.  The  most  common  and  natural  interpretation  is,  '  the 
church  which  is  accustomed  to  assemble  in  their  house  ;'  see  1  Cor.  16: 
19,  where  this  same  expression  occurs  in  reference  to  Aquila  and  Pris- 
cilla. It  is  probable  that,  from  his  occupation  as  tent  maker,  he  had 
better  accommodations  for  the  meetings  of  the  church  than  most  other 
Christians. 

Salute  my  well  beloved  Epenetus,  who  is  the  first-fruits  of  Achaia 
unto  Christ.  This  passage  is  not  irreconcilable  with  1  Cor.  16  :  15, 
"  Ye  know  the  household  of  Stephanas,  that  it  is  the  first-fruits  of 
Achaia  ;"  for  Epenetus  may  have  belonged  to  this  family.  So  many  of 
the  oldest  MSS.  and  versions,  however,  read  .^sm  instead  of  ./5c Aam  in 
this  verse,  that  the  great  majority  of  editors  have  adopted  that  reading. 
This,  of  course,  removes  even  the  appearance  of  contradiction. 

(6,  7)   Greet  Mary ;  who  bestowed  much  labour  upon  us.     Salute  An- 

dronicus  and,  Junia,  my  kinsm,en  and  my  fellow  prisoners.     It  is  very 

doubtful  whether  Junia  be  the  name  of  a  man  or  of  a  woman,  as  the  form 

in  which  it  occurs  {'lowiav)  admits  of  either  explanation.     If  a  man's 

ame,  it  is  Junias ;  if  a  woman's,  it  is  Junia.    It  is  commonly  taken  as  a 


346  ROMANS  16  :  1—27. 

female  name,  and  the  person  intended  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  wil^ 
or  sister  of  Andronicus.  My  kinsmen,  i.  e.  relatives,  and  not  merely  of 
the  same  nation ;  at  least  there  seems  no  sufficient  reason  for  taking  the 
word  in  this  latter  general  sense.  Fellow  prisoners.  Paul,  in  2  Cor. 
11:  23,  v^^hen  enumerating  his  labours,  says,  "In  stripes  above  mea- 
sure, in  prisons  more  frequent,  in  deaths  oft,"  &c.  He  was,  therefore, 
often  in  bonds  (Clemens  Romanus,  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians, 
sec.  5,  says  seven  times) ;  he  may,  therefore,  have  had  numerous  fellow 
prisoners.  Who  are  of  note  among  the  apostles.  This  may  mean  either, 
they  were  distinguished  apostles  ;  or,  they  were  highly  respected  by  the 
apostles.  The  latter  is  most  probably  the  correct  interpretation,  1.  Be- 
cause the  word  apostle,  unless  connected  with  some  other  word,  as  in  the 
phrase  "  messengers  (apostles)  of  the  churches,"  is  very  rarely  applied 
in  the  New  Testament  to  any  other  than  the  original  messengers  of  Jesus 
Christ.  The  word  has  a  fixed  meaning,  from  which  we  should  not 
depart  without  special  reason.  2.  Because  the  article,  among  the  apos- 
tles, seems  to  point  out  the  definite  well-known  class  of  persons  almost 
exclusively  so  called.  3.  The  original,  of  course,  admits  this  interpre- 
tation ;  it  is  the  simple  meaning  of  the  words.  Who  also  were  in  Christ 
before  me,  i.  e.  who  were  Christians  before  me. 

(8 — 15)  My  beloved  in  the  Lord.  The  preposition  in  here,  as  fre- 
quently elsewhere,  points  out  the  relation  or  respect  in  which  the  word 
to  which  it  refers  is  to  be  understood ;  brother  beloved  both  in  the  Jicsh 
and  in  the  Lord,  Phil.  5:16,  both  in  reference  to  our  external  relations, 
and  our  relation  to  the  Lord.  And  thus  in  the  following,  v.  9,  our  helper 
in  Christ,  i.  e.  as  it  regards  Christ;  v.  10,  approved  in  Christ,  i.  e.  in 
his  relation  to  Christ;  an  approved  or  tried  Christian;  v.  12,  who  labour 
in  the  Lord ;  and,  which  laboured  much  in  the  Lord,  i.  e.  who,  as  it  re- 
gards the  Lord,  laboured  much;  it  was  a  Christian  or  religious  service. 
The  names  Tryphena,  Tryphosa,  and  Persis  are  all  feminine.  The  last 
is  commonly  supposed  to  indicate  the  native  country  of  the  person  who 
bore  it,  as  it  was  not  unusual  to  name  persons  from  the  place  of  their 
origin,  as  Mysa,  Syria,  Lydia,  Andria,  &c. ;  such  names,  however,  soon 
became  common,  and  were  given  without  any  reference  to  the  birth-place 
of  those  who  received  them.  Chosen  in  the  Lord,  i.  e.  either  one  chosen 
by  the  Lord  ;  or,  as  is  most  probable  in  this  connexion,  chosen  (i.  e.  ap- 
proved, precious;  see  1  Pet.  2:4),  in  his  relation  to  the  Lord,  as  a 
Christian. 

(16)  Salute  one  another  with  a  holy  kiss.  Reference  to  this  custom 
is  made  also  in  1  Cor.  16  :  20.  IThess.  5-:  26.  1  Pet.  5 :  14.  It  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  of  oriental  origin,  and  continued  for  a  long  time  in 
the  early  churches ;  after  prayer,  and  especially  before  the  celebration 
of  the  Lord's  supper,  the  brethren  saluting  in  this  way  the  brethren,  and 
the  sisters  the  sisters.  This  salutation  was  expressive  of  mutual  affec- 
tion and  equality  before  God. 

(17)  Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  mark  them  which  cause  divisiem 


ROMANS  16:  1—27.  347 

mnd  offences,  contrary  to  the  doctrine  which  ye  have  learned,  and  avoid 
them.  While  he  urges  them  to  the  kind  reception  of  all  faithful  minis- 
ters and  Christians,  he  enjoins  upon  them  to  have  nothing  to  do  with 
those  who  cause  divisions  and  offences.  There  were  probably  two  evils 
in  the  apostle's  mind  when  he  wrote  this  passage ;  the  divisions  occa- 
sioned by  erroneous  doctrines,  and  the  offences  or  scandals  occasioned 
by  the  evil  conduct  of  the  false  teachers.  Almost  all  the  forms  of  error 
which  distracted  the  early  church,  were  intimately  connected  with  prac- 
tical evils  of  a  moral  character.  This  was  the  case,  to  a  certain  extent, 
with  the  Judaizers ;  who  not  only  disturbed  the  church  by  insisting  on 
the  observance  of  the  Mosaic  law,  but  also  pressed  some  of  their  doc- 
trines to  an  immoral  extreme.  See  1  Cor.  5  :  1 — 5.  It  was  still  more 
obviously  the  case  with  those  errorists,  infected  with  a  false  philosophy, 
who  are  described  in  Col.  2  :  10—23.  1  Tim.  4  :  1—8.  These  evils 
were  equally  opposed  to  the  doctrines  taught  by  the  apostle.  Those 
who  caused  these  dissensions  Paul  commands  Christians,  first,  to  mark, 
i.  e.  to  notice  carefully,  and  not  allow  them  to  pursue  their  corrupting 
course  unheeded ;  and,  secondly,  to  avoid,  i.  e.  to  break  off  connexion 
with  them. 

(19)  For  they  that  are  such  serve  not  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  hut  their 
own  belly  ;  and  by  good  words  and  fair  speeches  deceive  the  hearts  of 
the  simple.  These  men  are  to  be  avoided,  because  they  are  wicked  and 
injurious.  The  description  here  given  is  applicable,  in  a  greater  degree, 
to  errorists  in  all  ages.  They  are  not  actuated  by  zeal  for  the  Lord 
Jesus ;  they  are  selfish,  if  not  sensual ;  and  they  are  plausible  and  de- 
ceitful. Compare  Phil.  3  :  18,  19.  2  Tim.  3  :  5,  6.  The  words  rendered 
good  words  and  fair  speeches  do  not  in  this  connexion  materially  differ. 
They  express  that  plausible  and  flattering  address  by  which  false  teach- 
ers are  wont  to  secure  an  influence  over  the  simple.  The  word  simple 
signifies  not  merely  innocent,  but  unwary,  he  who  is  liable  to  deception. 
(Prov.  14  :  15,  the  simple  believe  every  thing.) 

(20)  For  your  obedience  is  come  abroad  unto  all  men,  &c.  This 
clause  admits  of  two  interpretations  ;  the  word  obedience  may  express 
either  their  obedience  to  the  gospel,  their  faith  (see  ch.  1  :  8),  or  their  obe- 
dient disposition,  their  readiness  to  follow  the  instructions  of  their  reli- 
gious teachers.  If  the  former  meaning  be  adopted,  the  sense  of  the 
passage  is  this,  '  Ye  ought  to  be  on  your  guard  against  these  false  teach- 
ers, for,  since  your  character  is  so  high,  your  faith  being  every  where 
spoken  of,  it  would  be  a  great  disgrace  and  evil  to  be  led  astray  by  them.' 
If  the  latter  meaning  be  taken,  the  sense  is,  '  It  is  the  more  necessary 
that  you  should  be  on  your  guard  against  these  false  teachers,  because 
your  ready  obedience  to  your  divine  teachers  is  so  great  and  generally 
known.  This,  in  itself,  is  commendable,  but  I  would  that  you  joined 
prudence  with  your  docility.'  This  latter  view  is,  on  account  of  the  con- 
cluding part  of  the  verse,  most  probably  the  correct  one;  see  2  Cor. 
10-  G.  Phil.  v.  21. 


348  ROMANS  IG:  1—27. 

/  am  glad,  therefore,  on  your  hehalf ;  hut  yet  I  would  have  you 
wise  unto  that    which  is  good,  and  simple  concerning  evil.      That  is, 

*  Simplicity  (an  unsuspecting  docility)  is  indeed  good ;  but  I  would  have 
you  not  only  simple  but  prudent.  You  must  not  only  avoid  doing  evil, 
but  be  careful  that  you  do  not  suffer  evil.'  Grotius'  explanation  is  pe- 
culiarly happy,  '  so  prudent  as  not  to  be  deceived  ;  and  so  good  as  not  to 
deceive.'     The  word  simple  means  unviixed,  pure,  and  then  harmless. 

*  Wise  as  to  good,  but  simple  as  to  evil ;'  or,  '  wise  so  that  good  may 
result,  and  simple  so  that  evil  may  not  be  done.'  This  latter  is  proba- 
bly the  meaning.  Paul  would  have  them  so  wise  as  to  know  how  to 
take  care  of  themselves ;  and  yet  harmless. 

(20)  And  the  God  of  peace  shall  bruise  Satan  under  your  feet  shortly. 
The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you.  .Amen.  As  the  evils 
produced  by  the  false  teachers  were  divisions  and  scandals,  the  apostle, 
in  giving  them  the  assurance  of  the  effectual  aid  of  God,  calls  him  the 
God  of  peace,  i.  e.  God  who  is  the  author  of  peace  in  the  comprehen- 
sive scriptural  sense  of  that  term.  Shall  bruise  is  not  a  prayer,  but  a 
consolatory  declaration  that  Satan  should  be  trodden  under  foot.  As 
Satan  is  constantly  represented  as  "  working  in  the  children  of  disobe- 
dience," the  evil  done  by  them  is  sometimes  referred  to  him  as  the  insti- 
gator, and  sometimes  to  the  immediate  agents  who  are  his  willing  in- 
struments. The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you.  This 
is  a  prayer  for  the  favour  and  aid  of  Christ,  and  of  course  is  an  act  of 
worship,  and  a  recognition  of  the  Saviour's  divinity. 

(21 — 24)  These  verses  contain  the  salutations  of  the  apostle's  com- 
panions to  the  Roman  Christians,  and  a  repetition  of  the  prayer  just 
mentioned.  7  Tertius,  who  lorote  this  epistle,  salute  you  in  the  Lord. 
Tertius  was  Paul's  amanuensis.  The  apostle  seldom  wrote  his  epistles 
with  his  own  hand  ;  hence  he  refers  to  the  fact  of  having  himself  written 
the  letter  to  the  Galatians  as  something  unusual;  Gal.  6:11,  "Ye  see 
how  large  a  letter  I  have  written  unto  you  with  mine  own  hand."  In 
order  to  authenticate  his  epistles,  he  generally  wrote  himself  the  saluta- 
tion or  benediction  at  the  close;  1  Cor.  16:21,  "The  salutation  of 
me  Paul,  with  mine  own  hand ;"  2  Thess.  3 :  17,  "  The  salutation  of 
Paul  with  mine  own  hand ;  which  is  the  token  in  every  epistle :  so  I 
write."  Gaius  mine  host,  and  of  the  whole  church,  i.  e.  Gains,  v^^ho 
not  only  entertains  me,  but  Christians  generally  ;  or,  in  whose  house 
the  congregation  is  accustomed  to  assemble.  Erastus  the  chamberlain 
of  the  city  {oiKovSjxoi),  the  treasurer  of  the  city,  the  quxstor. 

(25 — 27)  These  verses  contain  the  concluding  doxology.  Now  to 
him  that  is  of  power  to  establish  you,  according  to  my  gospel  and  the 
preaching  of  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  the  revelation  of  the  mystery, 
&c.  To  him  that  is  able  to  establish  you,  i.  e.  to  render  you  firm  and 
constant,  to  keep  you  from  falling.  According  to  my  gospel.  The  word 
rendered  according  to  may  be  variously  explained.  It  is  by  many  taken 
for  m,  '  establish  you  in  my  gospel ;'  but  this  the  proper  meaning  of  tho 


ROMANS  16:  1—27.  349 

words  will  hardly  allow.  2.  It  may  be  rendered  agreeably  to  my  gospel, 
n  such  a  manner  as  my  gospel  requires ;  or,  3.  Through,  i.  e.  by  means 
of  the  gospel.  The  second  interpretation  is  perhaps  the  best,  ^nd  the 
preaching  of  Jesus  Christ.  This  may  mean  either  *  Christ's  preach- 
ing;' or  'the  preaching  concerning  Christ ;'  either  interpretation  gives 
a  good  sense,  the  gospel  being  both  a  proclamation  by  Christ,  and  con- 
cerning Christ.  The  apostle  dwells  upon  this  idea,  and  is  led  into  a 
description  and  commendation  of  the  gospel.  According  to  the  revela- 
tion of  the  mystery.  These  words  may  be  considered  as  co-ordinate 
with  the  preceding  clause ;  the  sense  then  is,  '  "Who  is  able  to  establish 
you  agreeably  to  (or  through)  my  gospel,  agreeably  to  (through)  the 
revelation  of  the  mystery,'  &c.  It  is,  however,  more  common  and  natu- 
ral to  consider  this  clause  as  subordinate  and  descriptive.  *  The  gospel 
is  a  revelation  of  the  mystery  which  had  been  hid  for  ages.'  The  word 
mystery,  according  to  the  common  scriptural  sense  of  the  term,  does  not 
mean  something  obscure  or  incomprehensible,  but  simply  something 
previously  unknown,  and  undiscoverable  by  human  reason,  and  which, 
if  known  at  all,  must  be  known  by  a  revelation  from  God  ;  see  ch.  11  : 
25.  According  to  this  passage,  Paul  speaks  of  the  gospel  as  something 
*'  which  had  been  kept  secret  since  the  world  began ;"  i.  e.  hidden  from 
eternity  in  the  divine  Mind.  It  is  not  a  system  of  human  philosophy,  or 
the  result  of  human  investigation,  but  it  is  a  revelation  of  the  purpose  of 
God.  Paul  often  presents  the  idea  that  the  plan  of  redemption  was 
formed  from  eternity,  and  is  such  as  no  eye  could  discover,  and  no  heart 
conceive,  1  Cor.  2  ;  7—9.  Col.  1 :  26. 

(26)  But  is  now  made  manifest,  and  by  the  scriptures  of  the  pro- 
phets  ,•  that  is,  '  this  gospel  or  mystery,  hidden  from  eternity,  is  now 
revealed ;  not  now  for  the  first  time,  indeed,  since  there  are  so  many 
intimations  of  it  in  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament.'  It  is  evident 
that  the  apostle  adds  the  words  and  by  the  scriptures  of  the  prophets  to 
avoid  having  it  supposed  that  he  overlooked  the  fact  that  the  plan  of 
redemption  was  taught  in  the  Old  Testament ;  compare  ch.  1  :  2.  3  :  21. 
According  to  the  command  of  the  everlasting  God,  that  is,  this  gospel 
is  now  made  manifest  by  command  of  God.  Paul  probably  uses  the 
expression  everlasting  God,  because  he  had  just  before  said  that  the  gos- 
pel was  hid  from  eternity.  '  It  is  now  revealed  by  that  eternal  Being  in 
whose  mind  the  wonderful  plan  was  formed,  and  by  whom  alone  it  could 
be  revealed.'  Made  known  to  all  nations  for  the  obedience  of  faith, 
*  Made  known  among  all  nations.'  For  the  obedience  of  faith,  i.  e.  that 
they  should  become  obedient  to  the  faith  ;  see  ch.  1  :  5.  This  gospel, 
so  long  concealed,  or  but  partially  revealed  in  the  ancient  prophets,  is 
now,  by  the  command  of  God,  to  be  made  known  among  all  nations. 

(27)  To  the  only  wise  God  be  glory  through  Jesus  Christ  for  ever. 
Amen.  There  is  an  ambiguity  in  the  original  which  is  not  retained  in 
our  version.  *To  the  only  wise  God,  through  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom  be 
glory  for  ever.'     The  construction  adopted  by  our  translators  is  perhaps 

2G 


350  ROMANS  16:  1—27. 

the  one  most  generally  approved.  '  To  him  that  is  able  to  establish  you, 
to  the  only  wise  God,  through  Jesus  Christ,  be  glory.'  In  this  case  the 
relative  to  whom^  in  v.  27,  is  pleonastic.  Others  explain  the  passage 
thus,  '  To  the  only  wise  God,  made  known  through  Jesus  Christ,  to 
whom  (i.  e.  Christ)  be  glory  for  ever.'  The  former  construction  appears 
the  more  natural.  As  Paul  often  calls  the  gospel  the  "  wisdom  of  God" 
in  contrast  with  the  wisdom  of  men,  he  here,  when  speaking  of  the  plan 
of  redemption  as  the  product  of  the  divine  Mind,  and  intended  for  all 
nations,  addresses  his  praises  to  its  author  as  the  only  wise  God,  as  that 
Being  whose  wisdom  is  so  wonderfully  displayed  in  the  gospel,  and  in 
all  his  other  works,  that  he  alone  can  be  considered  truly  wise. 

REMARKS. 

1.  It  is  the  duty  of  Christians  to  receive  kindly  their  brethren,  and  to 
aid  them  in  every  way  within  their  power,  and  to  do  this  from  religiouss 
motives,  and  in  a  religious  manner;  as  becometh  saints,  vs.  1,  2. 

2.  The  social  relations  in  which  Christians  stand  to  each  other  as  re- 
latives, countrymen,  friends,  should  not  be  allowed  to  give  character  to 
their  feelings  and  conduct,  to  the  exclusion  of  the  more  important  rela- 
tion which  they  bear  to  Christ.  It  is  as  friends,  helpers,  fellow  labour- 
ers in  the  Lord,  that  they  are  to  be  recognised  ;  they  are  to  be  received 
in  the  Lord  ;  our  common  connexion  with  Christ  is  ever  to  be  borne  in 
mind,  and  made  to  modify  all  our  feelings  and  conduct,  vs.  3 — 12. 

2.  From  the  beginning  females  have  taken  an  active  and  important 
part  in  the  promotion  of  religion.  They  seem  more  than  others  to  have 
contributed  to  Christ  of  their  substance;  they  were  his  most  faithful 
attendants,  '  last  at  the  cross,  and  first  at  the  sepulchre ;'  Phebe  was  a 
servant  of  the  church,  a  succourer  of  Paul  and  of  many  others;  Tryphe- 
na,  Tryphosa,  and  Persis  laboured  much  in  the  Lord,  vs.  1,  2,  3,  6,  12. 

4.  It  does  not  follow,  because  a  custom  prevailed  in  the  early  churches, 
and  received  the  sanction  of  the  apostles,  that  we  are  obliged  to  follow  it. 
These  customs  often  arose  out  of  local  circumstances  and  previous  habits, 
or  were  merely  conventional  modes  of  expressing  certain  feelings,  and 
were  never  intended  to  be  made  universally  obligatory.  As  it  was  com- 
mon in  the  east  (and  is  so,  to  a  great  extent,  at  present,  not  only  there, 
but  on  the  continent  of  Europe)  to  express  affection  and  confidence  by 
*  the  kiss  of  peace,'  Paul  exhorts  the  Roman  Christians  to  salute  one 
another  with  a  holy  kiss  ;  i.  e.  to  manifest  their  Christian  love  to  each 
other  according  to  the  mode  to  which  they  were  accustomed.  The  exer- 
cise and  manifestation  of  the  feeling,  but  not  the  mode  of  its  expression, 
are  obligatory  on  us.  This  is  but  one  example ;  there  are  many  other 
things  connected  with  the  manner  of  conducting  public  worship,  and 
with  the  administration  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,  common  in 
the  apostolic  churches,  which  have  gone  out  of  use.  Christianity  is  a 
living  principle,  and  was  never  intended  to  be  confined  to  one  unvarying 
set  of  forms,  v.  16. 


ROMANS  16:  1—27.  351 

5.  It  is  the  duty  of  Christians  to  be  constantly  watchful  over  the  peace 
and  purity  of  the  church,  and  not  to  allow  those  who  cause  divisions  and 
scandals,  by  departing  from  the  true  doctrines,  to  pursue  their  course 
unnoticed.  With  all  such  we  should  break  off  every  connexion  which 
either  sanctions  their  opinions  and  conduct,  or  gives  them  facilities  for 
*^ecting  evil,  v.  17. 

G.  False  teachers  have  ever  abounded  in  the  church.  All  the  apostles 
Were  called  upon  earnestly  to  oppose  them.  Witness  the  epistles  of 
Paul,  John,  Peter,  and  James.  No  one  of  the  apostolical  epistles  is 
silent  upon  this  subject.  Good  men  may  indeed  hold  erroneous  doc- 
trines ;  but  the  false  teachers,  the  promoters  of  heresy  and  divisions,  as 
a  class,  are  characterized  by  Paul  as  not  influenced  by  a  desire  to  serve 
Christ,  but  as  selfish  in  their  aims,  and  plausible,  flattering,  and  deceit- 
ful in  their  conduct,  v.  18. 

7.  Christians  should  unite  the  harmlessness  of  the  dove  with  the  wis- 
dom of  the  serpent.  They  should  be  careful  neither  to  cause  divisions 
or  scandals  themselves,  nor  allow  others  to  deceive  and  beguile  them 
into  evil,  V.  19. 

8.  However  much  the  church  may  be  distracted  and  troubled,  error 
and  its  advocates  cannot  finally  prevail.  Satan  is  a  conquered  enemy 
with  a  lengthened  chain;  God  will  ultimately  bruise  him  under  the  feet 
of  his  people,  v.  20. 

9.  The  stability  which  the  church  and  every  Christian  should  main- 
tain is  a  steadfastness,  not  in  forms  or  matters  of  human  authority,  but 
in  the  gospel  and  the  preaching  of  Jesus  Christ.  God  alone  is  able  thus 
to  make  his  people  stand ;  and,  therefore,  we  should  look  to  him  and 
depend  upon  him  for  our  own  preservation,  and  the  preservation  of  the 
church ;  and  ascribe  to  him,  and  not  to  ourselves,  all  glory  and  thanks, 
vs.  25,  27. 

10.  The  gospel  is  a  mystery,  i.  e.  a  system  of  truth  beyond  the  power 
of  the  human  mind  to  discover,  which  God  has  revealed  for  our  faith 
and  obedience.  It  was  formed  from  eternity  in  the  divine  Mind,  revealed 
by  the  prophets  and  apostles,  and  the  preaching  of  Jesus  Christ;  and  is 
by  the  command  of  God  to  be  made  known  to  all  nations,  vs.  25,  26. 

11.  God  alone  is  wise.  He  charges  his  angels  with  folly;  and  the 
wisdom  of  men  is  foolishness  with  him.  To  God,  therefore,  the  pro- 
foundest  reverence  and  the  most  implicit  submission  are  due.  Men 
should  not  presume  to  call  in  question  what  he  has  revealed,  or  consider 
themselves  competent  to  sit  in  judgment  on  the  truth  of  his  declarations, 
or  the  wisdom  of  his  plans.  To  God  only  wise,  be  glory  through 
Jesus  Christ  for  ever.     Amen. 

The  subscriptions  to  this  and  the  other  epistles  were  not  added  by  the  sacred 
writers,  but  appended  by  some  later  and  unknown  persons.  This  is  evident, 
1.  Because  it  cannot  be  supposed  that  the  apostles  would  thus  formally  state  (aa 
in  this  case)  what  those  to  whom  their  letters  were  addressed  must  have  alreadj 


352  ROMANS  16:  1—27. 

kno  .vn.  The  Romans  had  no  need  to  be  informed  that  this  epistle  was  sent  by 
Phebe,  if  she  actually  delivered  it  to  them.  2.  They  are  frequently  incorrect, 
and  at  times  contradict  the  statements  made  in  the  epistles  to  which  they  are  ap- 
pended. Thus  the  subscription  to  the  first  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians  states  that 
it  was  written  from  Philippi,  whereas  Paul,  eh.  16:  8,  speaks  of  himself  as  being 
in  Ephesus  when  he  was  writing.  3.  They  are  either  left  out  entirely  by  the 
oldest  and  best  manuscripts  and  versions,  or  appear  in  very  different  forms.  In 
the  present  case  many  MSS.  have  no  subscription  at  all ;  others  simply,  "  To  the 
Romans ;"  others,  "  To  the  Romans,  written  from  Corinth ;"  others,  "  Written  to 
the  Romans  from  Corinth  by  Phebe ;"  &c.  &c.  These  subscriptions,  therefore, 
are  of  no  other  authority  than  as  evidence  of  the  opinion  which  prevailed,  to  a 
certain  extent,  at  an  early  date  as  to  the  origin  of  the  epistles  to  which  they  are 
attached.     Unless  confirmed  from  other  sources  they  cannot  be  relied  upon. 


THE  END. 


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